Gov’t releases shs 135bn to address hunger crisis in Karamoja

The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has revealed that government has allocated shs 135 billion to address food crisis in Karamoja.

Currently, reports show that food insecurity in many areas of Karamoja region continues to worsen and that many are losing lives due to famine.

On Tuesday, Members of Parliament, tasked government to explain its stance on the current food crisis in Karamoja, further warning that the situation could get out of hand unless government comes up with a comprehensive plan.

During a sitting of Parliament chaired by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, the Prime Minister explained that so far, government has released Shs135bn to help to cater for food in Karamoja for three months. This, she says, will include seedlings for planting.

“I want to assure you colleagues that over 200 metric tons of food has gone to Karamoja and we want to see how to secure Karamoja because as it stands now, Karamoja is still insecure,” she said.

Nabbanja said that the resolution followed proposals raised in the Cabinet sitting on Monday, to resolve food crisis in Karamoja.

Napak District Woman MP, Faith Nakut raised the issue that people in the Karamoja sub-region are dying of hunger caused by the  bad weather that has failed agriculture.

Nakut says that although there have been responses by the Office of the Prime Minister to give food, more needs to be done.

“Unfortunately the quantity supplied were not reasonable to feed a family for a week. Each family got a kilogramme of beans and about three of posho. As we speak, there are thousands of people at risk,” Nakut said.

She added that it is shameful for an agriculture-rich country to have people dying because of a lack of food.

Iganga Municipality MP, Peter Mugema said that the famine is affecting people in his constituency too.

“People are dying of starvation; government should take development to Karamoja,” Mugema said.

Francis Adome, the Moroto Municipality MP said the proposal to provide food to starving Ugandans is not sustainable and very expensive.

“The biggest problem I see is lack of participation between the government and leaders. Government needs to listen to us and get advice from us. Because what we are doing of taking relief is not sustainable; why can't we mechanize agriculture for instance?” he said.

Oyam District Woman MP, Hon. Santa Alum said Lango sub-region has not been spared by the famine.

“My prayer is that the Office of the Prime Minister gives us food to address the issue in the short term; for the long term, we don’t have seeds; the seeds that we planted have all dried,” she said.

The Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa tasked the Prime Minister to present a comprehensive statement on government’s strategy to resolve the food crisis not only in Karamoja but in the entire region.