The Kyabazinga (king) of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV has asked parents in Uganda to spare time and stay with their children.
According to the Busoga monarch, this will allow parents to know their kds’ talents and later work towards building them.
The king made the call at Kololo Senior Secondary school play grounds as he launched the World Children’s Day yesterday, celebrated under the theme ”Invest in Uganda’s Children for a better future”.
”As a father and a cultural leader, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary potential that lies within Uganda’s children. In Busoga, we believe that raising children is a collective responsibility where every child belongs to all of us. Their success is our success and their future is our future,’ he said.
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with over half of all children under 17 years of age.
ýAs of October 2025, there was an alarming rise in mental health challenges among students with more than 90,000 cases recorded in Uganda’s capital, Kampala in the past 12 months.
According to Kampala Capita City Authority (KCCA) data, 90,530 cases of mental health disorders were registered between July 2024 and June 2025, marking a 12.2 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Speaking during the World Mental Health Day commemoration lately, Ms Sharifah Buzeki, the KCCA executive director, described the situation as a ”national public emergency.”
She revealed that most common mental health conditions reported in Kampala include epilepsy (29percent), schizophrenia (14percent), anxiety disorders (6.6percent), substance and alcohol use disorders (6.3 percent), and depression (5.3 percent).
The celebrations attracted 200 selected children from across the region who showcased different innovations that could settle the country’s challenges.
Among these included Urban Vegetable farming using recycled materials, reusable sanitary pads production and training, Eco friendly briquettes to replace charcoal, making shoes and crafts from recycled plastic waste and empowering youth through guitar making and music among others.
Dr Robin Nandy, the UNICEF Representative in Uganda highlighted Uganda’s progress in reducing child mortality rate, expanding access to education and introducing child-friendly justice systems.
However, he warned that major challenged still remain noting that four million young people aged 18-29 are not in school, training or employment, representing nearly 40 per cent of the country’s young people.
Dr Nandy further warned over the high rate of teenage pregnancy affecting on in four adolescent girls, which he described as a huge crisis.
‘This is a huge crisis when young girls who are still children give birth to children. I want to thank the Kyabazinga of Busoga for taking up the call against teenage pregnancies in the Kingdom,’ Dr Nandy said.
Mr Edward Kanoonya, the head teacher of Kololo Secondary school, stressed that several threats undermine children’s development, including poor parenting.
‘The word children’s day is a special reminder about our collective responsibility in shaping the future of Uganda through the children entrusted with us. We have a duty to equip the children with the knowledge, skills and values that can make them become better citizens,’ he said.
What children said
Tahia Nakibuuka 12, a pupil in primary seven from Kyaggwe Road primary school in Rubaga said teachers need to be trained thoroughly to guarantee their success.
Joshua Opio, 17, from Kololo SS urged parents to advise the boychild while at home since many face peer pressure and are forced to join certain practices which affect their studies.
”Some boys fail to discover themselves because of lack of confidence, this to joining criminal activities just to fit-in with others,” he said.
Joan Nangobi, the headgirl at Kololo SSS said sensitizations need to be made to parents who give heavy punishments to their children. She said this affects the child’s self-esteem and later to bad performance.