The situation is getting worse by the day and thousands of households across Karamoja region remain in anticipation of food relief by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Families in the districts of Napak, Moroto, and Nakapiripirit are facing acute food insecurity due to significant crop losses over the last two seasons and a prolonged dry spell that has driven many families out of Karamoja to the areas of Teso and Lango. Several others have sought refuge in Turkana, neighboring Kenya.
The area with a single planting season annually has not had rain for close to ten months now, a trend that has rendered all farming efforts futile. On January 30, government sent a shipment of food to Moroto district, sending signals of hope among starving communities.
State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru pledged that government was making provisions to send more relief supplies to the region. The residents are now living in anticipation of government relief supplies based on the commitment.
However, Napak District Chairperson Joseph Lomonyang says the Office of Prime Minister promised to deliver over 100,000 kilogrammes of food to the region but only delivered 10,000 kilogrammes of relief food supplies. Lomonyang says Karamoja is distressed.
