Pokot pastoralists resort to abducting girls for marriage – The Kampala Report

Pokot pastoralists grazing in Nabilatuk district have started abducting girls and taking them for marriage in the Amudat district. The abducted girls, aged between 12 and 16, are usually targeted while collecting firewood or fetching water in the bush. Although the legal age for marriage in Uganda is 18, the law is rarely enforced, and local traditions often override legal requirements, especially in rural areas like Karamoja.

These girls are subjected to harmful cultural norms where they are viewed as a source of wealth, exchanged for cows as dowry. Parents often marry off their daughters as soon as they develop breasts, regardless of their age. Climate change, which has made access to clean water more difficult, has also negatively impacted girls. They now have to walk long distances along isolated routes in search of water, making them vulnerable to sexual abuse.

Joachim Loduk, the Nabilatuk Sub-county LC3 Chairperson, explained that traditionally, before marrying a girl, a suitor would first approach the parents for approval. However, he noted that the practice of abducting girls is common in Lokapel Junction, a resettled area where young men target girls engaged in casual labor or collecting firewood.

Loduk said the girls are often taken without the parents’ knowledge, with the family only informed later. He added that promises of dowry, usually in the form of cows, are often unfulfilled. Loduk also expressed frustration that some underage girls claim they are ready for marriage, which complicates efforts to combat defilement. In many cases, girls agree with boys to elope for marriage.

Additionally, Loduk stated that although they have advocated for intermarriages between the Pokot and Karamojong communities to promote peaceful coexistence, the way the Pokot abduct Karamojong girls violates cultural norms. He lamented that while Pokot men marry Karamojong girls, Karamojong boys are not able to marry Pokot girls.

John Lomise, a former rapist, shared his experience of dropping out of school due to lack of fees and resorting to marriage. He explained how he joined a group of boys to abduct the girl he eventually married. The girl was grabbed while returning from town and taken to a secluded location, where she was sexually abused. Lomise noted that if a girl resists, the boy’s friends assist in the act before handing her over to him, according to their custom.

Lomise added that parents often use rape as a reason to expel their daughters from the home, allowing the perpetrator to marry them. He explained that afterward, the boy’s parents would approach the girl’s family to negotiate a marriage.

Ruth Teko, the Nabilatuk Senior Probation, Social, and Welfare Officer, highlighted the rising number of early marriages, which often go unreported. Teko said the district is struggling to eradicate these harmful practices as they are carried out secretly, with parents and local leaders colluding to hide the incidents. She explained that while the Pokot pastoralists claim they are in the area to graze cattle, their real intent is to abduct girls for marriage.

Teko also noted that the community has normalized the practice, focusing on dowry rather than the detrimental effects of child marriage. Most reports to authorities involve gender-based violence or child protection cases, while early marriages are settled within the community. Despite these challenges, Teko affirmed that they are doing everything possible to address the issue.
Kyeyune Ssenyonjo, the Nabilatuk Resident District Commissioner, confirmed the incidents but revealed that no one has reported such cases to his office. Ssenyonjo remarked that the community appears to support early marriages, as none have been formally reported. He added that these marriages are difficult to detect as they are arranged secretly without involving authorities.

Ssenyonjo observed that young girls are often taken during traditional dance gatherings, locally known as Edonga. He noted that the youth exploit these gatherings to abduct and defile the girls. In response, the district security committee has banned such events to curb the high rates of child marriages. He emphasized that political and church leaders have been engaged to raise awareness about the dangers of child marriages.

Dorothy Chegem, the Programs Officer at the Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization (KAWUO), stated that they are working with cultural leaders to change the attitudes toward harmful cultural practices affecting girls. They have also engaged “boy champions” to influence their peers and transform negative attitudes in the community.

Chegem explained that by holding men accountable and promoting the recognition of shared responsibilities in the family, they hope to change the mindset of men in the community. Through the *She Leads* project, they have organized groups of girls who conduct community outreach, using music, dance, and drama to raise awareness about harmful practices.

Chegem acknowledged that child trafficking and early marriages remain major cultural issues in the region. While the project has seen some success in reducing the prevalence of these practices in certain districts, they remain widespread in areas where the program has yet to reach. Chegem expressed hope that with additional resources, they will be able to extend their efforts across all nine districts in the region.