Rural districts near Kampala, Uganda's capital, have been badly affected by kidnappings of vulnerable people, children in particular, for sacrificial purposes.
[3] It is a modern phenomenon that purports to be part of the country's old custom, through the use of traditional medicine, which roughly 80% of people rely on.
[4][5] In exposed communities, roadside posters, workshops, and alert systems have been erected to warn children and their families of the danger posed by witch doctors abducting for the purpose of child sacrifice.
[9][10] If a child has been circumcised, scarred or has had their ears pricked, this represents disfigurement or impurity, and they may be spared from sacrifice.
[11] Generally, a witchdoctor will try other methods first to bring about change of a person's misfortunes or desires using herbal remedies or animal sacrifices.
[4] Genital mutilation is also a common occurrence for those that experience this ordeal, leading to urinary issues and distorted puberty development.
It is in such an environment that the witchdoctors thrive, promising desperate people a miraculous way to bridge the gap from have-not to have, from failure to success and from poverty to wealth.
[13] The small elite who gained wealth in a relatively short time during Uganda's economic boom in the early 21st century is an example promoted by witchdoctors for their successful profession.
[13] It is thought that child sacrifice increases the power of a witch doctor's magic because it makes the charms, amulets or talismans that are given to clients stronger.
This is because high-profile Ugandans have bought into the practice by being convinced they need to sacrifice a child to win a seat as an MP.
[14][13] James Nsaba Buturo, the Minister of Ethics and Integrity, agreed with Angela's approach stating persuading change is better than retrospective punishment, which would cause a problem for justice.
[4] It remains difficult to try and convict anyone accused under this Act as its vague expression and interpretation[4] Child sacrifice is not specifically mentioned in it.
This means that giving a maximum sentence for the murder of a child by sacrifice is extremely difficult and the courts rarely use it.
[23][24] spearheaded by activist Annie Nnaji,[25] this development specifically prohibits child sacrifice, trafficking, sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation.
The government established the force with the intention that they would to oversee and coordinate investigations, collect statistics and work with the general public to stop this practice.
[4] The Force are covering more cases than law enforcement did before its establishment, but there is still a struggle to gain adequate evidence for convictions.
Uganda is obliged to fulfill these expectations by continuously establishing state mechanisms to prevent tragedies like child sacrifice.
The issue of child sacrifice in Uganda has been highlighted in the media over the past three years with ABC (Australia) and BBC producing several reports and documentaries.
[4] A department of court set up to specifically tackle child sacrifice cases would provide a suitable structure for victims and their families.