The Ugandan government has sounded an alarm over an increase in children entering the justice system, with officials pointing to irresponsible parenting as the primary catalyst.
Speaking at the 2026 National Performance Review Conference last week, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, revealed that the surge in juvenile crimes has overwhelmed the country’s remand homes.
Figures from the Justice Ministry show a sharp increase, with the juvenile remand population skyrocketing from 1,111 in the 2023/2024 financial year to 5,426 in 2024/2025.
“I’m sure many of you have found people who proudly call themselves single mothers. There is no mother who produces without another party. Government needs to be tough on fathers who neglect their childrenMao stated, calling for accountability among men.
The Minister warned that children lacking guidance are becoming increasingly vulnerable to criminal networks. He highlighted that besides neglect, the crisis is exacerbated by systemic gaps, including inadequate funding for probation officers, lack of transportation to courts, and a reluctance by families to reintegrate rehabilitated children, which creates a “revolving door” effect.
Unprecedented Congestion
According to the National Annual Performance Report for the 2024/2025 financial year, presented by the Office of the Prime Minister, congestion in remand homes reached a staggering 645 percent by December 2025—the highest in five years.
Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, highlighted that children on remand now account for 81 percent of all juvenile offenders, far exceeding the national target of 65 percent.
She recommended strengthening legal frameworks and improving coordination between justice institutions to accelerate case disposal.
The Parenting Deficit
parenting coach and marriage counsellor Dickson Tumuramye supported the government’s assessment, noting that a lack of parental involvement leaves children without moral direction.