Dr Munir who has been in the International Service for 31 years has ended his professional journey in Uganda after spending over four years as a UNICEF country representative. Dr.Munir retires and will honorably return to his motherland - Sudan.
Leaders who shared their last moments with him before his death said his last trip to Moroto was to mediate the dialogue between the people of Tepeth County and Tororo Cement Factory over investment.
The GROW project running for five years and implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development was launched in Kampala in June 2023. However, the ministry has extended the project to cover up to all nine districts of the Karamoja sub-region.
The approximately 8.05 billion Ugandan shillings World Bank-funded project targets 35000 micro and 4000 small women enterprises expected to have transitioned to small and medium enterprises respectively by the time of closure in 2027.
According to the project plan, the pilot scheme will run from the selected five sub-counties per district targeting a total of 120,000 smallholder households. It also has a component of supporting oil seed production and the construction of the 2500 kilometers of community access roads to ease the transportation of produce.
The multi-billion water projects such as Kobebe in Moroto, Arechek in Napak, Longoromit in Kaabong, Kaomeri in Abim, and Kailong in Kotido which were constructed between 2009 and 2011 are now silted due to the poor management by the pastoral communities.
Jonathan Moru, a farmer from Nadunget sub-county in Moroto district, laments that despite having over four acres of land prepared for planting, he is unable to proceed without seeds.
On Friday, over 300 learners from selected Nursery schools from all the nine districts of Karamoja gathered at Lomukura primary school in Kotido municipality to showcase some of their games in the learning through-play approach.
The Programme will target youth from the entire Karamoja region with a focus on Moroto, Nakapiripirit, and Kotido Districts. It will also achieve gender equity by targeting 50 percent girls and 50 percent boys.
Last year, legislators from the region, under the Karamoja Parliamentary Group, presented a proposal for a free compulsory boarding education policy for all learners. The aim was to
enroll Karamojong children into boarding schools for 15 years, aiming to break the cycle of warriorhood.
Busizoori said that other parts of the country have developed but Karamoja has remained backward because of tribal fights and lamentations. He appealed to the leaders to sensitize the people to desist from tribal fights but instead coexist as one to pave the way for development.
Samuel Kalisa Bigirwa, the Chief Administrative Officer confirmed a receipt of 10686 iron sheets in the first phase to benefit 411 households. The iron sheets distribution exercise started on Thursday and it will run up to Sunday from the respective parishes.
The Office of the Prime Minister launched the distribution of iron sheets on Thursday in Abim district and the exercise is expected to continue to other districts respectively. At least 28 members are targeted to benefit from the iron sheets in the first phase in the Abim town council.
In November 2023, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja flagged off the first consignment of iron sheets for distribution in the Karamoja sub-region. In the first phase of the exercise, 97,552 iron sheets will be distributed to 3,752 beneficiaries across all the nine districts of Karamoja.
The strategy aims to motivate community health workers, improve access to primary healthcare, and promote preventive, curative and rehabilitative services. It will be implemented by the village health teams and community health workers.
Tadious Loduk, a senior teacher at Lokamite Primary School acknowledged that the community has committed to support the infrastructure at the school amidst the little resources.
A team from UBOS has been deployed across all nine districts of Karamoja to capture the details of administrative units, household heads, physical features, and institutions such as health facilities, schools, and churches among others.
The NGO Act, 2016 provides for the establishment of District NGO Monitoring Committee in every district and the sub county to oversee the operations of partners at the grass root level.
However, civil society organization has established that the NGO monitoring committees that are chaired by the Chief Administrative officer for district level and Senior Assistant Secretary for Sub County have not been operational as per the NGO act.
Anthony Sagal, a youth from Moroto district, emphasizes the importance of opening additional skilling centers to help them develop their skills and talents. He suggests that not all youth benefit from formal education, and there are those who have completed primary education but are in need of vocational training.
In Nabilatuk district, beneficiaries have been issued ATM cards, raising concerns about the limited banking infrastructure in South Karamoja. Sylvia Awas, the Nabilatuk district woman member of parliament, expressed her dissatisfaction with the use of electronic money transactions due to the poor mobile network connectivity in the region.
