Famine In Karamoja: Cabinet Orders Finance Ministry To Provide Shs135bn To Buy Food For People Of Karamoja

Pictures of people in Karamoja sub-region malnourished and reportedly dying of hunger caused by a griming famine did rounds on social media riling off many Ugandans who called on the government to take action.

And today, during the plenary session in parliament, Prime Minister (PM) Robinah Nabbanja revealed that a cabinet decision reached during the Monday sitting will see the finance ministry provide Shs135bn to address the famine situation in Karamoja.

The money, Nabbanja said, will be for the provision of food and seeds and seedlings so that people can plant their food. She also said that the cabinet directed the PM’s office to provide food. Nabbanja said over 200 Metric tonnes of food have been sent to Karamoja.

Iganga Municipality MP, Mugema Peter, appealed to the government to prioritize food insecurity in the country, especially in the Karamoja region. He revealed that there are people from the Karamoja region who live in Iganga and have been equally affected.

Moroto Municipality MP, Hon Adome Francis Lorika, asked the government to engage and listen to the MPs from the Karamoja region so that they can come up with sustainable solutions to the food insecurity affecting the region.

Napak Woman MP, Faith Nakut, said that thousands of people are in dire need of food and will die if no action is taken. She says that issues of meetings and procedures should be put aside but rather send food to the starving communities.

“It is not that the Karamojongs are lazy or they are not planting crops; we are strongly faced with the issue of Climate Change. We have been discussing issues of water for production but we are investing a lot of money on things that do not benefit the people,” Amero Suzan. Amuria district MP said.