BUYENDE- 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations will remain historical in the ears of many, as numerous inhuman acts were reported on several candidates before and during an examination that came to climax on Thursday, November 7th 2024.
In Buyende District, a 16-year-old victim of a recent gang-defilement by police officers was among the 2,341 candidates who sat their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in Buyende District.
The candidate (names withheld) expressed confidence she would pass in first grade despite the incident whose justice she is still waiting for after nearly three months.
“God is merciful, able and great that I managed to overcome the trauma and sat my papers. The papers have been good and I will definitely pass in first grade,” she said.
The alleged gang-defilement took place three months ago during a Kigulu rock climbing event in Buyende.
“I am very grateful to Mama [Minister Rebecca] Kadaga, Busoga Kingdom Aunt Dr Joyce Abaliwano and above all Plan KOICA Project for taking me up and helping in the healing process with all the support right from counselling, taking me for safety, providing me with all that I needed and helping me settle.”
Dison Bwire, the Buyende District Education Officer, congratulated the pupil for having the courage to come back and sit the papers and commended KOICA Project for the tremendous work of giving the survivor peace of mind, and taking over.
“She is one of our best candidates going by district mock results, she has big dreams and is determined to pursue her dream career goals though she needs a good boarding secondary school if she could be helped ,” Bwire said.
She told the media that after the incident, KOICA took her up and took her somewhere for safety and she received the most comforting treatment, care and encouragement which has changed her life, improved her hopes of completing school and making it to a medical school now that she has got new family and “parents”.
However, she prays government comes clean and serious on the suspects who broke her virginity so that justice can be seen not denied that peace of mind that something was done to her tormentors.
“There is nothing that pains me more than losing my virginity I had kept and vowed to be strong against any love relationship in honor of the last advice my grandmother and namesake told me minutes before she died now I’ve lost it in a painful manner that will haunt me till I join her and tell her it was unavoidable,” she narrated of the ordeal.
Her mother, who opened an aggravated defilement case at Irundu sub county Police Model Station SD Ref 21/17/8/24, is distraught and lost hope for justice.
She alleges that she has information to the effect that the police officers who gang defiled her daughter have been transferred and that it is possible that their swabs were not among those taken for analysis to protect the image of the force.
“Justice delayed is of course justice denied. My daughter is now settled and focused on her future with help from Busoga Kingdom, Ms Kadaga and KOICA I only wanted some sort of justice to prevail but now things are going the Ugandan way and we leave it to God,” the mother regretted.
Ms Kadaga, the first deputy prime minister who was chief guest during the Kingdoms Annual Tourism Expo Busoga Beauty Queens finals from which the girl was gang raped and Busoga Kingdom demanded a detailed report and action taken on the incident.
“I want a detailed report on the unfortunate event in which a young girl was gang defiled during the Busoga Kingdoms event and I have asked the Minister of gender and children’s affairs to visit the parents and survivor,” Kadaga directed during the 10th Coronation Anniversary of the Kyabazinga of Busoga held at Bukungu School grounds 13th September 2024.
Busoga North Region Police spokesperson Michael Kasadha said the girl and parents should not lose hope assuring that they will get justice but it is a gradual process.
“We acted fast, took the swabs but we are still waiting for the results from the Analytical Lab to proceed,” Kasadha explained.
