1 April 2024

CERTIZENS first MA graduate, Moses Muluba, researched birth registration in Eastern Uganda

Research reflections

Moses Muluba, a member of CERTIZENS Uganda, is the first to graduate out of ten MA students in both Ghana and Uganda being supported by the CERTIZENS Project. He graduated from Makerere University (Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies) in December 2023. His thesis ‘Unfolding diverse citizen response to birth registration in Iganga district, Uganda (1904-2021)' focuses on the historical challenges and the current developments of people securing birth-related identification documents in Iganga District in Eastern Uganda.

Picture of CERTIZENS members congratulating Moses Muluba
CERTIZENS team members congratulating Moses Muluba in Kampala, January 2024. From left to right: Alice Tomusanga, Godfrey Asiimwe, Moses Muluba, Amanda Hammar (Photo: Toke Møldrup Wolff)

He unfolds why birth registration rates remained lower than in other Ugandan regions in the past. Due to an epidemic of sleeping sickness in the region in the early 20th century, colonial authorities established registration policies. They combined access to the questionable treatment with obligatory civil registration of the patient and his entire family. This and other policies in the following years made most people in Iganga reluctant to register themselves or their children.

In numerous interviews and focus-group discussions, Moses further investigated present-day positions of parents on birth registration. A lack of awareness of the consequences, local beliefs in sorcery and systemic obstacles like contradictory information, travel distances and costs hinder parents obtaining the important certificate until today. Moses highlights that many parents nowadays, unlike in the past, believe that obtaining a birth certificate is part of their parental responsibilities.

We asked Moses to respond in some detail to the following questions:

 

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  • What is important about the topic of birth registration in Uganda?

  • Why did you choose Iganga District as a case study?

  • Why was Iganga district historically different than other districts like Buganda and how did that affect birth registration?

  • Why has the birth registration rate in Iganga remained so low even today?

  • What are the main motivations for people to obtain birth certificates for their children?

  • Based on your research, what needs to change to improve the situation in Iganga or Uganda broadly with respect to increasing birth registration rates?

  • Taking a closer look at the research process itself, what challenges did you face during your fieldwork?

  •  How did you benefit from the CERTIZENS research project?

Read his responses here (PDF).

Contact Moses Muluba for further information on his research at: mulubamoses1@gmail.com

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