Karimojong turn to leaves, dead animals as famine rages
Apr 27, 2008
SEVERE drought, coupled with last year’s floods in northern Uganda, has led to famine in the Karamoja region. Karamoja, which is on the Uganda-Kenya-Sudan border, is one of the most impoverished and remote areas in the country.
Frederick Womakuyu
SEVERE drought, coupled with last year’s floods in northern Uganda, has led to famine in the Karamoja region. Karamoja, which is on the Uganda-Kenya-Sudan border, is one of the most impoverished and remote areas in the country.
Hillary Liamoe, a farmer in Kaceri-Kaabong, says the floods destroyed her sorghum field last year and her family is starving. During the floods, Liamoe’s family fled to Abim district for safety, only to find empty gardens on return.
The family has now turned to wild leaves to survive. Recently, there were reports that two people died in Kaceri-Kaabong after eating poisonous leaves.
“I lost a son. The doctor at the health centre said he had consumed poisonous leaves,†Liamoe said.
“Ten more people are admitted at the health centre. The doctor has warned us against eating leaves, but what can we do? We have no food and relief agencies have abandoned us. We would rather die from eating leaves than of starvation,†she says resignedly.
Moses Odong, a clinical officer at Abim health centre IV, called for Government intervention.
“The Government should provide relief food to the Karimojong. They will die if they do not stop eating wild leaves. So far, we have registered 35 cases of suspected poisoning from leaves and three people died,†Odong said.
Animals too are dying due to the drought. In Kaceri, 40 head of cattle have died and the villagers have not spared the carcasses. “Many livestock are dying due to lack of water and pasture,†says Gertrude Akullo, the World Food Programme (WFP) field officer.
“We are trying to help, but the situation is overwhelming.â€
Samuel Loduk, a councillor, says two people died of starvation in Kaabong.
Liamoe and her two children eat two bowls of leaves a day, accompanied by animal carcasses. “We usually feed on sorghum, but our fields were destroyed by floods and drought,†she said.
Liamoe sells some of the carcasses to get other necessities. “I need salt to add taste to the leaves. That is why I sell the carcasses,†she says.
Kaceri is a poor village with one government-aided primary school and a road that connects it to Kotido town. The community borehole is no longer functional and residents want to relocate to survive.
For long, residents have been depending on food aid from the WFP. The residents are predominantly pastoralists, with cattle as their most prized possession.
Today, there is insecurity in the area due to cattle rustling. Recently, the Jie of Kotido attacked the Bokora of Kaabong, killing six people and stealing 49 head of cattle.
Although the residents are happy with their nomadic life, the Government, through the disarmament programme, stopped them from crossing to other areas in search of water and pasture. The move is aimed at fighting cattle rustling and insecurity.
According to WFP reports, 10 people have died of starvation in Moroto district and Matany Hospital is filled with malnourished babies.
“On average, the hospital registers 400 children a day for severe malnutrition,†says Simon Emau, WFP’s field officer.
However, the UN body attributes the severe famine and drought to environmental degradation.
“There has been massive cutting down of trees for charcoal, firewood and construction, leaving the ground bare,†says Rose Eyoru, the WFP programme officer.
In the past, the region would experience drought every after five to 10 years. “But since 2000, the pattern has changed to three, two, to one year,†she says.
Karamoja, an arid area, has suffered severe drought since 2006, making cultivation impossible.
Last year, floods left almost 500,000 people homeless, especially in Kaceri, Karenga and Kalapata areas, which are famous for sorghum growing. Farmers usually plant sorghum once a year during the short rainy season, but there has been no rain this year.
The situation is not any better in Abim. Seated on their traditional stools (achelong) two women, Lydia Emorut and Sarah Tumen, share leaves with their families.
“We are emaciated. The little sorghum I planted last year was washed away by floods. I have no seeds to plant this season. We shall die of starvation,†says Emorut.
The famine has also led to family break-ups. Some men have abandoned their families.
Rhoda Cipha, a mother of 10, says she has not seen her husband for the last six months.
“He might be dead,†she says.
District officials say residents have turned to heavy drinking, while others have resorted to eating carcasses, leaves, ants and rats.
“This is the worst drought in the history of our land. Warriors who never used to hang around towns have become beggars,†says Mark Namuya, the chief administrative officer of Kotido.
WFP calls for donor support to save the situation.
We need 3,300 tonnes of food a month to feed 300,000 starving people. We do not have that food and we call upon donors to help save the situation,†said Eyoru.
The body is targeting about 830,000 people in schools, teachers colleges and technical institutes.
As the drought rages, life remains unpredictable for the Karimojong. A study by WFP revealed that over 78% of the population in Karamoja faces starvation.
“There is a massive food shortage in Kaabong, Moroto and Nakapipirit,†the study revealed.
Eyoru says: “We need to move faster and now. We have to save our people.â€
SEVERE drought, coupled with last year’s floods in northern Uganda, has led to famine in the Karamoja region. Karamoja, which is on the Uganda-Kenya-Sudan border, is one of the most impoverished and remote areas in the country.
Hillary Liamoe, a farmer in Kaceri-Kaabong, says the floods destroyed her sorghum field last year and her family is starving. During the floods, Liamoe’s family fled to Abim district for safety, only to find empty gardens on return.
The family has now turned to wild leaves to survive. Recently, there were reports that two people died in Kaceri-Kaabong after eating poisonous leaves.
“I lost a son. The doctor at the health centre said he had consumed poisonous leaves,†Liamoe said.
“Ten more people are admitted at the health centre. The doctor has warned us against eating leaves, but what can we do? We have no food and relief agencies have abandoned us. We would rather die from eating leaves than of starvation,†she says resignedly.
Moses Odong, a clinical officer at Abim health centre IV, called for Government intervention.
“The Government should provide relief food to the Karimojong. They will die if they do not stop eating wild leaves. So far, we have registered 35 cases of suspected poisoning from leaves and three people died,†Odong said.
Animals too are dying due to the drought. In Kaceri, 40 head of cattle have died and the villagers have not spared the carcasses. “Many livestock are dying due to lack of water and pasture,†says Gertrude Akullo, the World Food Programme (WFP) field officer.
“We are trying to help, but the situation is overwhelming.â€
Samuel Loduk, a councillor, says two people died of starvation in Kaabong.
Liamoe and her two children eat two bowls of leaves a day, accompanied by animal carcasses. “We usually feed on sorghum, but our fields were destroyed by floods and drought,†she said.
Liamoe sells some of the carcasses to get other necessities. “I need salt to add taste to the leaves. That is why I sell the carcasses,†she says.
Kaceri is a poor village with one government-aided primary school and a road that connects it to Kotido town. The community borehole is no longer functional and residents want to relocate to survive.
For long, residents have been depending on food aid from the WFP. The residents are predominantly pastoralists, with cattle as their most prized possession.
Today, there is insecurity in the area due to cattle rustling. Recently, the Jie of Kotido attacked the Bokora of Kaabong, killing six people and stealing 49 head of cattle.
Although the residents are happy with their nomadic life, the Government, through the disarmament programme, stopped them from crossing to other areas in search of water and pasture. The move is aimed at fighting cattle rustling and insecurity.
According to WFP reports, 10 people have died of starvation in Moroto district and Matany Hospital is filled with malnourished babies.
“On average, the hospital registers 400 children a day for severe malnutrition,†says Simon Emau, WFP’s field officer.
However, the UN body attributes the severe famine and drought to environmental degradation.
“There has been massive cutting down of trees for charcoal, firewood and construction, leaving the ground bare,†says Rose Eyoru, the WFP programme officer.
In the past, the region would experience drought every after five to 10 years. “But since 2000, the pattern has changed to three, two, to one year,†she says.
Karamoja, an arid area, has suffered severe drought since 2006, making cultivation impossible.
Last year, floods left almost 500,000 people homeless, especially in Kaceri, Karenga and Kalapata areas, which are famous for sorghum growing. Farmers usually plant sorghum once a year during the short rainy season, but there has been no rain this year.
The situation is not any better in Abim. Seated on their traditional stools (achelong) two women, Lydia Emorut and Sarah Tumen, share leaves with their families.
“We are emaciated. The little sorghum I planted last year was washed away by floods. I have no seeds to plant this season. We shall die of starvation,†says Emorut.
The famine has also led to family break-ups. Some men have abandoned their families.
Rhoda Cipha, a mother of 10, says she has not seen her husband for the last six months.
“He might be dead,†she says.
District officials say residents have turned to heavy drinking, while others have resorted to eating carcasses, leaves, ants and rats.
“This is the worst drought in the history of our land. Warriors who never used to hang around towns have become beggars,†says Mark Namuya, the chief administrative officer of Kotido.
WFP calls for donor support to save the situation.
We need 3,300 tonnes of food a month to feed 300,000 starving people. We do not have that food and we call upon donors to help save the situation,†said Eyoru.
The body is targeting about 830,000 people in schools, teachers colleges and technical institutes.
As the drought rages, life remains unpredictable for the Karimojong. A study by WFP revealed that over 78% of the population in Karamoja faces starvation.
“There is a massive food shortage in Kaabong, Moroto and Nakapipirit,†the study revealed.
Eyoru says: “We need to move faster and now. We have to save our people.â€