Karamoja’s story is no longer a sad one
Oct 15, 2008
There is something in the air. There is something new and different about Karamoja. There has always been the old story about hunger and drought, the fierce warriors who rustle cattle and torch vehicles, the sight of well-endowed men whose uncovered manhoods are said to be the envy of many in Uganda
By Nabusayi L. Wamboka
There is something in the air. There is something new and different about Karamoja. There has always been the old story about hunger and drought, the fierce warriors who rustle cattle and torch vehicles, the sight of well-endowed men whose uncovered manhoods are said to be the envy of many in Uganda and the young women with the firmest breasts donned in colourful beads.
Today, the story of hunger and drought is beginning to sound like a broken record. True, there are parts of Karamoja, particularly in Kotido, which are desert-like with no hope of anything green to eat. But the Karamoja that I saw recently has far more potential to develop and feed itself than some districts like Butaleja, Pallisa, Nakaseke, Luweero, Nakasongola and Lyantode.
A two-week tour of the region by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya took us to over 10 sub-counties in the districts of Nakapiriprit, Moroto, Abim, Kotido and Kaabong and inside over 10 homes (manyatas). The only things lacking were education and political guidance to turn the region around.
Nakapiriprit, Abim and Kaabong have some of the best soils and have been described as the food baskets for the region.
Even with only one rainy season between July and September every year, these three districts can grow quick maturing crops that last the season given the maize, rice, beans and sorghum fields that we saw. “Karamoja can feed itself,†Prof. Bukenya observed.
During the rainy season, Karamoja has probably more water than the rest of the country but has no capacity to trap that water, either because of its porous soils, ignorance or simply because nobody cares.
Kaabong is home to Kidepo National Park. If farmers here had access to quality seeds and were trained and facilitated, food production for both home and the market plus income from the national park would wipe poverty from the face of Karamoja.
Despite this, the region has changed. There was no man whose private parts offered optical nutrition as before. Nor did the women have bare chests. Karimojong now wear clothes!
Also thanks to the disarmament programme, we saw no gun-totting Karimojong.
Not that there are no more guns in the area because there are still problematic areas, but the attitude of the people has changed from relying on the gun to engaging in agriculture.
Prof. Bukenya says there are four main challenges facing Karamoja. “The pillars for development lie in maintaining peace, promoting education and health and changing the people’s attitude about the gun as a means of livehood,†he says.
“The expanding aridity in the area is largely due to destruction of the environment through tree cutting and overgrazing. There are too many animals and too little pasture and water,†he said.
True, because of its cattle culture, Karimojong value their cattle more than anything. Kotido, for example, perhaps has the highest numbers of animals in the region.
There are thousands of cattle, goats and sheep here but it is almost unthinkable to them that one can sell or kill their animals for the abattoirs and butcheries. A Karimojong will only slaughter his animal if it is too old and is about to die or too sick to live.
The Government spends over sh50b every year on Karamoja region alone. This money can do a lot if there is peace in the region.
The young men would stop killing one another over cattle, there would be fewer widows, women would access their gardens freely, and children would go to school instead of spending most of the time in the bushes learning how to fire rifles.
The writer is the press secretary for the Vice-President
There is something in the air. There is something new and different about Karamoja. There has always been the old story about hunger and drought, the fierce warriors who rustle cattle and torch vehicles, the sight of well-endowed men whose uncovered manhoods are said to be the envy of many in Uganda and the young women with the firmest breasts donned in colourful beads.
Today, the story of hunger and drought is beginning to sound like a broken record. True, there are parts of Karamoja, particularly in Kotido, which are desert-like with no hope of anything green to eat. But the Karamoja that I saw recently has far more potential to develop and feed itself than some districts like Butaleja, Pallisa, Nakaseke, Luweero, Nakasongola and Lyantode.
A two-week tour of the region by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya took us to over 10 sub-counties in the districts of Nakapiriprit, Moroto, Abim, Kotido and Kaabong and inside over 10 homes (manyatas). The only things lacking were education and political guidance to turn the region around.
Nakapiriprit, Abim and Kaabong have some of the best soils and have been described as the food baskets for the region.
Even with only one rainy season between July and September every year, these three districts can grow quick maturing crops that last the season given the maize, rice, beans and sorghum fields that we saw. “Karamoja can feed itself,†Prof. Bukenya observed.
During the rainy season, Karamoja has probably more water than the rest of the country but has no capacity to trap that water, either because of its porous soils, ignorance or simply because nobody cares.
Kaabong is home to Kidepo National Park. If farmers here had access to quality seeds and were trained and facilitated, food production for both home and the market plus income from the national park would wipe poverty from the face of Karamoja.
Despite this, the region has changed. There was no man whose private parts offered optical nutrition as before. Nor did the women have bare chests. Karimojong now wear clothes!
Also thanks to the disarmament programme, we saw no gun-totting Karimojong.
Not that there are no more guns in the area because there are still problematic areas, but the attitude of the people has changed from relying on the gun to engaging in agriculture.
Prof. Bukenya says there are four main challenges facing Karamoja. “The pillars for development lie in maintaining peace, promoting education and health and changing the people’s attitude about the gun as a means of livehood,†he says.
“The expanding aridity in the area is largely due to destruction of the environment through tree cutting and overgrazing. There are too many animals and too little pasture and water,†he said.
True, because of its cattle culture, Karimojong value their cattle more than anything. Kotido, for example, perhaps has the highest numbers of animals in the region.
There are thousands of cattle, goats and sheep here but it is almost unthinkable to them that one can sell or kill their animals for the abattoirs and butcheries. A Karimojong will only slaughter his animal if it is too old and is about to die or too sick to live.
The Government spends over sh50b every year on Karamoja region alone. This money can do a lot if there is peace in the region.
The young men would stop killing one another over cattle, there would be fewer widows, women would access their gardens freely, and children would go to school instead of spending most of the time in the bushes learning how to fire rifles.
The writer is the press secretary for the Vice-President