KAMPALA – The Government of Uganda has launched an emergency food relief programme for the Karamoja sub-region to support thousands of families affected by a prolonged dry spell that has severely disrupted agricultural production, depleted household food stocks, and heightened the risk of food insecurity.
The relief exercise, officially flagged off today by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) headquarters in Bugoloobi, Kampala, will see 9,419,610 kilograms of relief food distributed to 313,987 households across 480 parishes in the nine districts of Karamoja.
The food relief package consists of maize flour and dry beans and is intended to provide immediate support to vulnerable households as the government responds to the worsening humanitarian situation in the region.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is coordinating the intervention in partnership with the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Prisons Service, the Uganda Police Force, and local governments to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable distribution of the relief supplies.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Prime Minister Nabbanja reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the people of Karamoja during the crisis.
“The Government stands with the people of Karamoja and will continue to mobilise the necessary resources to support their recovery and build resilience against future shocks,” she said.
The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Sam Engola, urged all leaders and stakeholders involved in the exercise to ensure that the food reaches the intended beneficiaries without interference.
“We appeal to political, religious, and community leaders, civil society organisations, and beneficiaries to support the exercise by promoting transparency, accountability, and peaceful distribution,” Engola said.
Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Alex Kakooza, said the government remains focused on both immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term interventions to strengthen resilience against recurring climate-related shocks.
He noted that the OPM will continue monitoring the food security situation in Karamoja and neighbouring districts while coordinating emergency response efforts and working with development partners to protect lives and livelihoods.
Kakooza added that these interventions will be guided by the recently approved Karamoja Regional Development Plan, which aims to strengthen long-term development and resilience in the sub-region.
The emergency food relief programme forms part of the government’s broader response to mitigate the impact of climate-related disasters and improve food security for vulnerable communities across Karamoja.
