Could Mama Janet be the messiah for Karamoja?
Apr 02, 2009
The Karimojong are conservative people who hold their cultural practices dearly. While colonial rule changed the lifestyle of many communities/tribes, the Karimojong retained their own.
Simon peter Loduk
The Karimojong are conservative people who hold their cultural practices dearly. While colonial rule changed the lifestyle of many communities/tribes, the Karimojong retained their own.
They were not blessed with educational institutions like Makerere and were left behind in education and development. The governments of Obote 1, Amin, Obote II, Lutwa and some interim governments between these major governments did not do much to improve the social , economic and political status of this community.
To some extent, however, the Museveni government recognised “the basic rights of the Karimojong†in the 10-point-programme. Probably the reason Karamoja Development Act (KDA) and later Karamoja Development Plans II were created.
The regime, at least, appreciates that the Karimojong could also participate in the management of the affairs of Uganda. That is why the Karimojong have also been given a chance to be MPs, regional district commanders, chief administrative officers, LC5 chairpersons and ministers.
But when we evaluate, we discover that Karamoja has not benefited from these people. This is the bitter fact, but as a concerned Karimojong, the truth has to be mentioned.
Let me touch briefly on the “five mistakes about Karamojaâ€.
- Mistake number one: Most of the Karimojong leaders where opinion leaders, policy makers and decision makers when KDA was created. Some of them worked directly with this agency. If the aims and objectives of the development act were to develop Karamoja, what did they develop? The water wells and ponds which were constructed are an insult because they are non-functional.
If this mess did not occur, our cows would not be crossing for water and grass to the neighbouring districts. And secondly this was a waste of government resources.
- Mistake number two: Most of our Karimojong leaders have failed to develop our region despite being given big posts, e.g. a Karimojong in one of the regimes was deputising in the ministry of minerals and water resources.
What solution did he come up with concerning the minerals and water problem in Karamoja? What did he do for this region? Two Karimojong ministers at different times deputised in the education ministry. But what development did they leave for the place?
Another Karimojong was a deputy in the ministry of transport and communication. But transport and communication still puzzle people living in Karamoja. Another Karimojong deputised in the ministry of trade, tourism, wildlife and antiquities. What development did he leave for Karamoja?
During this recent cabinet reshuffle, two of our Karimojong brothers have been made: minister of state for minerals and minister of state for industry. Is there any development they will leave behind at the end of their office term and be proud of it?
You may say deputising is not always a good thing unless one is at the top. But think of a post of external security organisation boss, which was headed by a Karimojong at one time in this government. Of what value was it to his place even when a Karimojong was at the top? Guns at that time were flowing into Karamoja from neighbouring countries.
Poverty, backwardness, water shortage, lack of medical facilities characterise the life of the Karimojong. It is true some Karimojong cultural practices are repugnant to development and should be discarded. We elect you into authority so that you can change our land. People from other tribes are saying: “They cannot wait for Karamoja to develop.â€
- Mistake number three: Division and hatred amongst the Karimojong leadership. We believe that unity is strength and there is no way a house can stand if its members are divided. As for the case of the Karimojong leadership, a big rift is clearly seen. Our fellow Karimojong leaders quarrel in the media. That is not the reason why we voted you into office.
Please Janet, help us unite, starting with our leaders. Janet, if you want to succeed in your work in Karamoja, please unite our leaders, otherwise you will find yourself isolated. Even the President and the Karimajong no longer trust such leaders and that is why they are now operating on their own.
lMistake number four: Churches in Karamoja are almost becoming irrelevant because of concentrating on the spiritual aspects only and neglecting the physical. In Matthew 9: 35 — 38, the Bible says Jesus saw the crowds which were harassed and without a shepherd. The first thing that entered Jesus’ heart was compassion.
lMistake number five. The Electoral College has also to share in the blame of maintaining bad leaders.
Other districts are developed and yet Karamoja still remains in darkness. For over 46 years since independence, no modernisation has taken place in this region. The British and fellow Ugandans have been treating us like animals. They say the best a Karimojong can do is to raid and kill. We are reduced to people who are naked and ruthless.
It is true Karamoja is a casualty of British colonial policy. They treated our place as a human zoo. My lament over Karamoja is; are we cursed? Life seems to have passed over us! We claim to be sharing the national cake, but is it not unfair when other districts are biting larger parts and leaving us with none.
Please, Mama Janet Museveni, help us talk and convince the President to fulfil the promises he gave to the Karimojong.
He promised us: electricity, tarmac roads and a marble industry.
I believe his promises are in the pipeline. His aim must be that he brings you to Karamoja so that when such projects begin, you supervise and make sure that such funds are put in proper use and not to end up like the valley dam’s money which was diverted.
If Museveni cannot fulfil the above promises, let him also leave us alone. I strongly believe that one day a messiah will come to redeem us from these persistent problems. That is only if Museveni fails and fools us in his 10 point programme. For over 23 years now, Karamoja has nothing.
The Karimojong are conservative people who hold their cultural practices dearly. While colonial rule changed the lifestyle of many communities/tribes, the Karimojong retained their own.
They were not blessed with educational institutions like Makerere and were left behind in education and development. The governments of Obote 1, Amin, Obote II, Lutwa and some interim governments between these major governments did not do much to improve the social , economic and political status of this community.
To some extent, however, the Museveni government recognised “the basic rights of the Karimojong†in the 10-point-programme. Probably the reason Karamoja Development Act (KDA) and later Karamoja Development Plans II were created.
The regime, at least, appreciates that the Karimojong could also participate in the management of the affairs of Uganda. That is why the Karimojong have also been given a chance to be MPs, regional district commanders, chief administrative officers, LC5 chairpersons and ministers.
But when we evaluate, we discover that Karamoja has not benefited from these people. This is the bitter fact, but as a concerned Karimojong, the truth has to be mentioned.
Let me touch briefly on the “five mistakes about Karamojaâ€.
- Mistake number one: Most of the Karimojong leaders where opinion leaders, policy makers and decision makers when KDA was created. Some of them worked directly with this agency. If the aims and objectives of the development act were to develop Karamoja, what did they develop? The water wells and ponds which were constructed are an insult because they are non-functional.
If this mess did not occur, our cows would not be crossing for water and grass to the neighbouring districts. And secondly this was a waste of government resources.
- Mistake number two: Most of our Karimojong leaders have failed to develop our region despite being given big posts, e.g. a Karimojong in one of the regimes was deputising in the ministry of minerals and water resources.
What solution did he come up with concerning the minerals and water problem in Karamoja? What did he do for this region? Two Karimojong ministers at different times deputised in the education ministry. But what development did they leave for the place?
Another Karimojong was a deputy in the ministry of transport and communication. But transport and communication still puzzle people living in Karamoja. Another Karimojong deputised in the ministry of trade, tourism, wildlife and antiquities. What development did he leave for Karamoja?
During this recent cabinet reshuffle, two of our Karimojong brothers have been made: minister of state for minerals and minister of state for industry. Is there any development they will leave behind at the end of their office term and be proud of it?
You may say deputising is not always a good thing unless one is at the top. But think of a post of external security organisation boss, which was headed by a Karimojong at one time in this government. Of what value was it to his place even when a Karimojong was at the top? Guns at that time were flowing into Karamoja from neighbouring countries.
Poverty, backwardness, water shortage, lack of medical facilities characterise the life of the Karimojong. It is true some Karimojong cultural practices are repugnant to development and should be discarded. We elect you into authority so that you can change our land. People from other tribes are saying: “They cannot wait for Karamoja to develop.â€
- Mistake number three: Division and hatred amongst the Karimojong leadership. We believe that unity is strength and there is no way a house can stand if its members are divided. As for the case of the Karimojong leadership, a big rift is clearly seen. Our fellow Karimojong leaders quarrel in the media. That is not the reason why we voted you into office.
Please Janet, help us unite, starting with our leaders. Janet, if you want to succeed in your work in Karamoja, please unite our leaders, otherwise you will find yourself isolated. Even the President and the Karimajong no longer trust such leaders and that is why they are now operating on their own.
lMistake number four: Churches in Karamoja are almost becoming irrelevant because of concentrating on the spiritual aspects only and neglecting the physical. In Matthew 9: 35 — 38, the Bible says Jesus saw the crowds which were harassed and without a shepherd. The first thing that entered Jesus’ heart was compassion.
lMistake number five. The Electoral College has also to share in the blame of maintaining bad leaders.
Other districts are developed and yet Karamoja still remains in darkness. For over 46 years since independence, no modernisation has taken place in this region. The British and fellow Ugandans have been treating us like animals. They say the best a Karimojong can do is to raid and kill. We are reduced to people who are naked and ruthless.
It is true Karamoja is a casualty of British colonial policy. They treated our place as a human zoo. My lament over Karamoja is; are we cursed? Life seems to have passed over us! We claim to be sharing the national cake, but is it not unfair when other districts are biting larger parts and leaving us with none.
Please, Mama Janet Museveni, help us talk and convince the President to fulfil the promises he gave to the Karimojong.
He promised us: electricity, tarmac roads and a marble industry.
I believe his promises are in the pipeline. His aim must be that he brings you to Karamoja so that when such projects begin, you supervise and make sure that such funds are put in proper use and not to end up like the valley dam’s money which was diverted.
If Museveni cannot fulfil the above promises, let him also leave us alone. I strongly believe that one day a messiah will come to redeem us from these persistent problems. That is only if Museveni fails and fools us in his 10 point programme. For over 23 years now, Karamoja has nothing.