KAMPALA – A man has been arrested in Kampala after he was allegedly caught using his young son to solicit money from members of the public by falsely claiming the child was suffering from cancer.
The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows traders confronting the man before removing what appeared to be a fake tumour or plaster-like covering from the child’s face. The child was subsequently seen without any visible signs of illness, prompting outrage among bystanders.
According to eyewitness accounts shared online, the man had been moving through busy streets in Kampala carrying the child while appealing for financial assistance for what he claimed was an urgent cancer operation. Traders became suspicious of the story and confronted him before exposing the alleged deception.
Videos circulating on social media show members of the public removing the artificial facial covering as a crowd looked on. The father was later apprehended, although police had not immediately released an official statement identifying the suspect or detailing the charges he may face.
The incident has reignited concerns over the exploitation of children for street begging and fraudulent fundraising in Kampala.
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has in recent years intensified enforcement against adults who use children to solicit money on city streets. In 2023, five people were prosecuted under the Kampala Capital City Child Protection Ordinance for exploiting children in street begging, while authorities rescued the affected minors.
In April 2025, KCCA said it rescued 157 children and arrested 18 adults during a crackdown on child exploitation, noting that many of the children had been trafficked into Kampala for begging. Authorities said the operation was aimed at protecting vulnerable children and dismantling organised begging networks.
The latest case also bears similarities to previous incidents in Kampala where individuals have been arrested for deceiving members of the public into giving them money through fabricated stories. In February this year, police arrested a man accused of moving from church to church falsely claiming his daughter had died in order to collect condolence contributions.
Child rights advocates have condemned the alleged exploitation, arguing that children used in such schemes are victims who require protection and rehabilitation rather than punishment.
By publication time, police had not issued an official statement confirming the suspect’s identity, the circumstances of the arrest, or the specific offences under investigation. Investigations were ongoing.