Some MPs from Karamoja claim government food has not yet to reached their constituencies despite the release of 134 billion for food relief. Led by Bokora East MP, Peter Ken Lochap, the lawmakers have demanded a quick response from government to save lives.
“As of now, many people have died of hunger, even yesterday, we lost two people in my constituency.” said Peter Ken Lochap -MP, Boroka East.
MPs request government to treat this as an emergency and also use the Karamoja case as a pilot study for future such calamities and also verify whether the situation is not only in Karamoja. They continue to request government to respond like they did during the COVID situation.
It was reported three days ago that eight in every 10 Karimojong households have no or limited food and leaders claim hunger-related diseases have killed more than 900 residents since start of the year, with the misery made worse by uptick in raids and massive crop failure as a result of drought.
The suffering and pain in Karamoja, Uganda’s north-eastern pastoralist region, needs no hyperbole.
It is visible in massive crop failures as a result of a long dry spell. The scorched gardens and pasture mean limited or no food for both humans and their animals. Yet, cattle keeping provides main livelihood.