Sezibwa Police Warn on Human Trafficking, Child Marriage and Rising Land Disputes

What the report says

Sezibwa police have issued a public warning over human trafficking, child marriage, property theft and worsening land disputes, urging communities to report suspected abuse and use legal channels where needed. The remarks were made by Kemigisha Nusura, the Regional Criminal Investigations Officer for Sezibwa, during an interview on Salam Omukeeze with Salmah Namwanje, according to Nile Post.

Nusura said trafficking can happen within Uganda as well as across borders, and she stressed that children are especially vulnerable. She also described child marriage and forced marriage as forms of trafficking and said such practices are illegal regardless of cultural claims. She noted that cases involving children require officers with special training, and encouraged families to keep open communication with children so they can report harassment or abuse.

The police officer also warned about theft of cattle, farm produce and other property, saying these crimes can hit communities harder as government programmes such as the Parish Development Model put more money into local circulation. She urged parents to check where young adults are going to work and to stay alert during school holidays, when children may be more exposed to abuse.

On land matters, Nusura said many disputes are civil rather than criminal, meaning they are often better handled by courts than by police. She said absentee landownership is contributing to conflict when unused land is occupied over time and later claimed by others. The broader message, as reported by Nile Post, was for residents to report criminal conduct promptly while seeking lawful remedies for land disagreements.