Karamoja Leaders Decry Exclusion of Vulnerable Families from Food Aid

Local officials in the Karamoja sub-region have expressed grave concerns regarding the ongoing distribution of emergency food relief. Despite efforts by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to address widespread drought and crop failure, many vulnerable families are reportedly being excluded from the aid.

Chairpersons like Adupa John Robert Akiiki of Lotisan Sub-county describe the situation as “heartbreaking,” noting that equally starving households are being overlooked while others receive assistance.

The primary reason cited for these exclusions is the reliance on outdated data from the 2024 National Population and Housing Census. District leaders argue this census data does not accurately reflect the numerous households established in the two years since it was conducted. Moroto Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Justin Tuko, acknowledged that this has led to newly formed households missing out on critical interventions.

Specific examples highlight the scale of the problem. In Moroto Senior Quarters, over 300 registered households did not receive food aid. The issue is particularly pronounced among pastoralist communities, whose mobile nature means many families were away with livestock during registration periods and thus were not captured on the lists.

Further complicating matters, local leaders claim that updated household registers they submitted were bypassed in favor of a different list provided by the OPM. This has reportedly caused significant tension and frustration among residents who expected to benefit from the relief program.

The Karamoja region is currently grappling with a severe hunger crisis, with reports indicating potential hunger-related deaths. Leaders are urgently appealing to the OPM to revise and update the beneficiary lists, ensuring that all affected and vulnerable families, including newly established and nomadic ones, receive the necessary food assistance to avert further tragedy.

Source: Nile Post