Karamoja leaders ask Museveni to elevate area to regional status

Karamoja leaders have requested that President Museveni elevates the are to a  regional status in order to foster the development and transformation of the communities.

The leaders made this plea to the president during an extraordinary joint council meeting convened at Moroto Boma grounds to honor the late Aleper Simon Peter, who until his death was the Karamoja Representative on the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC).

The council, presided over by the Moroto district Speaker, Akol Ceaser, passed a motion seeking the government to grant Karamoja regional-level status, arguing that the area has unique historical challenges that require special attention.

"This is the best way the government can reward Hon. Aleper who on all platforms advocated for the elevation of this sub-region into a region due to its high poverty levels, low levels of education, poor infrastructure and other needs," the council members said, amidst thousands of mourners, friends and family of the deceased.

The second resolution requested the government to restore the Karamoja Development Agency (KDA), a fund previously set aside to empower the people of the area through sponsoring children's education and supporting productive activities.

"Aleper spearheaded the restoration and operationalization of these funds for the benefit of his community. This is how Karamoja will develop at the same pace as the rest of Uganda," the council said.

The leaders also asked the president to build a technical institute in memory of the late Aleper, who tirelessly worked to uplift the people he led.

"Our young people require skills to work in the mushrooming factories in our areas," the leaders said.

"Karamoja is a place of extremes, it has extreme poverty yet it is endowed with extreme resources. Our plea is to work with the government to ensure there is investment and proper use of the resources for the good of our people," said Norman Achero, the Labwor MP.

The leaders praised the late Aleper as a person who was passionate about the transformation of his area and urged others to emulate his spirit of fighting for justice and equality.

The former Moroto Municipality legislator will be buried on Tuesday at his ancestral home in Napak district. The joint regional council was attended by NRM CEC members, area MPs, RDCs, and district Chairmen, among others.