Dilemmas faced by people of Karamoja and solutions : Karamoja sub- region which is occupied by the indigenous group of peoples known as the karamajongs suited in the northeastern part of Uganda occupying 8 districts such as Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Abim , Napak , Kotido , Kaabong ,have faced several challenges over the years. , Karamoja still stands challenged, with education, food insecurity and poor food consumption, food-water- energy deprivation, health, and childhood pregnancies, climate change which contributes to the ongoing drought in the horn of Africa, Environmental degradation, rights violations, and land grabbing, threatening livelihoods of millions of indigenous Karamajong people and now ongoing insecurity. One of the most pressing issues is cattle rustling. The region has experienced several issues of cattle raiding in the last two years, which has resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives and livelihoods. Though the government has launched a disarmament campaign to curb the violence, but it has been met with allegations of human rights abuses.
Vast areas of land have been enclosed for national parks or earmarked for mineral exploration .High levels of malaria infections is a great thread in the region. According to statistics from the ministry of health, the country’s highest malaria prevalence is found in the Karamoja region. Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years of age in Karamoja sub-region of Uganda.
Secondly, low levels of education. Karamoja sub-region Karamoja has the least educated children globally, with 78 per cent unable to read or write, teenage pregnancy has a tremendous impact on the educational social and economic lives of most young people in the region. Traditionally, Karamojong’s do not value education as a result, many children remain at home either looking after the cattle or taking care of their households. Early pregnancy and child neglect about the children education has increased on the number of rampant school dropouts in the region leading to child’s migration to urban areas and trafficking especially girls to abet leaves them further vulnerable to several abuse and unwanted pregnancy.
The people of Moroto and Karamoja are experiencing a transition from long-standing nomadic lifestyles to an increasingly sedentary and farming lifestyle. This transition has been associated with cultural and social challenges that have been compounded by environmental stressors.
Climate variability and change undermine already limited resources and development in Karamoja through recurring droughts, flash floods and prolonged dry spells. While traditional pastoral livelihoods are well-adapted to Karamoja dry and increasingly unpredictable climate, the growing dependence of people on agriculture and the adoption of more sedentary lifestyles has made communities more vulnerable to rainfall variability and dry spells. These are set to intensify due to the effects of climate change. Other environment-related challenges include land degradation, conflict over natural resources, livestock diseases and pests, crop pests, and price shocks/fluctuations. The population of Karamoja also face economic, social, and public health challenges including high rates of youth unemployment, violent crime, and outbreaks of communicable disease.
In addition, climate change experienced in the region has led to population growth and potential conflicts the karamajong region in the north east of Uganda is comprises of predominately semi-arid savannah. Rainfall is erratic and the region suffers frequent drought. Over the last century the frequency of extreme weather event has increased augmenting risks of drought, famine, floods, landslides and epidemics. Pastoralist’s vulnerability to climate change is further exacerbated by high population growth, agricultural encroachment and unsustainable levels of poverty in the northeastern Uganda all which encourage livestock raiding and violet conflicts over grazing resources. . Additionally, rampant cattle rustling has returned to the region, killing hundreds of people and stealing the cattle that are their livelihoods. Also Poor working conditions and environmental degradation pose health risks for them due to increased land grabbing for mining.
Furthermore, the economic opportunities. Karamoja region largely depend on animal husbandry and rain fed agriculture and employment. Yung people who constitutes half of the growing population with energy and potential to economic growth are caught up in in a web of unemployment, underemployment and vulnerable employment. Eighty six percent of the young men inn Karamoja have nerve employed to 5% in Kampala, a situation which undermines workers fundamental rights. The lack of decent work experienced at early age, compromise to population future employment prospects and frequently lead to unsuitable labor behavior pattern that last a lifetime and evidenced link of social exclusion for young people.
Recently, Karamoja iron sheets. IGG summoned Kitutu to provide information regarding the management of supplementary funds that were released to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to support peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region sparked a lot of tension and worries among the karamajong causing a lot of mistrust between the karamajong and the government of Uganda.
However, Due to the short rainy seasons and climate change, soil eroded from the land and caused poor harvest in Karamoja. ACTED provided them new skills to embrace planting trees and stop cutting them for charcoal.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with the India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Trilateral South-South Cooperation Fund, the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to address persistent food insecurity and malnutrition in the Karamoja sub-region, particularly in the green belt districts envisioning a future where both people and planet thrive, aligned with the principles of the Humanitarian, Development, Peace Building Nexus. The project will promote women-led large-scale commercial farming of staple cereals, oilseed, legumes, poultry, piggery, and other viable livestock enterprises to boost nutrition, production, and incomes of women and youth.
On the other hand, the government of Uganda has put in place quick stop of cattle rusting among the Karamoja, the government is still ongoing disarmament of the karamajong firearms which they are using to raid cattle from theta neighbors.
