Parliament chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga passed the The Children (Amendment) Bill, 2015 with a clause stopping foreigners from accessing guardianship of Ugandan children. The proposal to restrict legal guardianship to Ugandans was made by Serere MP Alice Alaso. The passing of the legislation follows a push for a watertight law to protect Uganda’s children being exposed to abuse and exploitation by those who take advantage of the gaps in the parent law. Ayivu County MP Bernard Atiku, the architect of the private members Bill, argued that a boom in the international adoption industry had led to the boom of orphanage homes. The MP said here, vulnerable children were being abused with impunity. Mr Atiku explained that thousands of children have left the country through unclear circumstances. Citing tracking of children taken for guardianship by foreigners, an insidious problem in the country, the Ayivu County MP and other members called for an outright ban on foreigners.]]>