To defend the content in this article, I begin with the words of Ambrose Toolit, a PhD candidate and Executive Director of the Grassroots Alliance for Rural Development (GARD) in Karamoja.
He stated:
“In the last 10 years, a lot of money has been flowing into Karamoja from international development partners through the central government, local governments, UN agencies, international NGOs, and local NGOs. However, poverty still remains the biggest challenge.”
His concern was that Karamoja could have developed by now, but most of the funds meant for real work on the ground are instead spent on workshops, meetings, and allowances.
Another Karamoja scholar and social anthropologist, Dr. Tabitha Naisiko, offered a slightly different view. In her 2024 study titled “Anthropological Critique and the Karamoja Question,” she argued that one major challenge in Karamoja is the failure of development actors to create space for the Karimojong people to evolve within their own social norms and adapt them to the modern economy (see Naisiko, 2024).
It is for this reason that I add my voice to these critical thinkers, calling upon government agencies, and development partners to think practically—and without bias—about how to solve the Karamoja problem.
One of my proposals is to conduct a Scientific Conference on the Karamoja Problem within Karamoja itself.
Many will ask: Why hold it in Karamoja and not in Kampala or other cities? The answer is simple. Holding it in Karamoja would symbolize a shift toward local ownership of solutions and a more grounded, context-sensitive approach to research and policy. It would allow scholars, policymakers, and development actors to engage directly with local communities, rather than talking about Karamoja from afar.
Moreover, the conference should be “scientific” to ensure seriousness and rigor—not just another political or NGO gathering, but a genuine, evidence-based platform for exploring real data and practical interventions.
To government agencies and development partners investing heavily in Karamoja, let me be honest: unless you objectively respond to the issues scholars raise about the region, it will be difficult to achieve a lasting impact. Otherwise, as David Knaute and Sacha Kagan (2009) warned in their book “Sustainability in Karamoja,” you risk “creating new problems with the same mistakes.”
Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com
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