Government flags off food relief to Karamoja

By Leticia Kahubire

BUGOLOOBI

Thousands of families affected by the prolonged dry spell in Karamoja are set to receive life-saving food assistance after the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja flagged off a convoy of trucks carrying maize flour and beans destined for the sub-region on Monday.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the Headquarters of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) in Bugoloobi, the business arm of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which is supplying the food together with the Uganda Prisons Service, the Prime Minister said more than 9.4 million kilograms of maize flour and beans will be delivered to communities across Karamoja.

She said the relief food will be distributed to 313,987 households in 480 parishes across the sub-region. Nabbanja explained that the intervention is being coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in partnership with NEC, the Uganda Prisons Service, the Uganda Police Force, and Local Governments to ensure the timely, transparent, and accountable delivery of the food aid.

“To the people of Karamoja, I assure you that the Government stands with you,” the Prime Minister said. “We recognise the challenges you are facing and will continue to mobilise the necessary resources to support your recovery and strengthen your resilience.”

The Prime Minister warned against the misuse of the relief supplies. “Every bag of relief food supplied must be properly received, documented, and distributed in accordance with the approved guidelines. There will be no tolerance for diversion, theft, or misuse of relief supplies. Anyone found culpable will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” she said.

The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Sam Engola, urged all leaders and technical officers involved in the response to ensure that the relief food reaches the intended households.

The OPM Permanent Secretary, Mr. Alex Kakooza, said the Ministry will continue to closely monitor the food security situation in Karamoja and neighbouring Districts while coordinating both immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term resilience interventions.

“We are also engaging our Development Partners to strengthen efforts to protect lives and livelihoods, guided by the recently approved Karamoja Regional Development Plan,” he said.

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