Kassanda district chairman Fred Kasirye zzimula has expressed concern over allegations that government officials have started touring districts spreading the sterilization program among 14-year-olds.
It comes as state Minister incharge of Primary Health Care Margaret Muhanga introduced the scheme in parliament recently saying the government brought it with the aim of helping teenage girls avoid unwanted pregnancies.
However, MPs were not happy with this and fired back at the minister saying that sterilization methods are very dangerous for young children especially teenagers and can even cause death, but Minister Muhanga defended herself saying the government had not yet decided to determine whether this program can help adolescent girls,it was consulting concerned authorities instead.
Despite the minister’s defence, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa swore he could not allow parliament to pass proposals or bills that could cause the government to regret it, because sterilization practices for young children are dangerous to their health and he therefore ruled against the bill.
Now Kassanda District Chairperson Fred Kasirye Zzimula said that local government leaders have been shocked by the government officials who have started visiting the districts beautifying the plans dismissed by parliament and describing them as positive.
He was expressing his views about current affairs of the nation on a radio talk show in Kampala on Saturday 28th October 2023.
He said that those who claimed that it is the National planning authority that blessed this program have started meeting district councils asking them to approve the proposal saying it will help parents to raise their children better.
Zzimula opposed the move and advised the government to let parents do their duty of counseling their children to avoid all acts that could lead to premature pregnancy, stressing that it is illegal for the government to execute the duties of parents.
He undescored the importance of a big population saying other countries like china are growing at a fast pace because they are densely populated and people brain storm on how to build their country concluding that is not good to force people to embrace family planning methods more so at a teenage stage.
“Family planning,I Zzimula understand it this way, can you take care of, educate, accommodate or treat your children, so one should have children according to their ability and it is an obligation of parents to plan for the future of their young ones,” Zzimula said.
The Democratic party member has now vowed that such proposals, will not be permitted in Kassanda district because they violate the human rights of a girl child ,affect their lives and can eventually lead to death .
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