To begin with, I would like to cite a recent District Integrity Promotion Forum held on 17 October 2025 in Nabilatuk District. During the forum, the Resident District Commissioner, Lotem Linos Tumkori, stated: “You NGOs help us talk to the people of Karamoja. They have had a good harvest this season, but they are selling their sorghum cheaply to outsiders.”
This statement prompted me to reflect on Simon Levine’s (2010) study with the Karamojong people titled, “What to do about Karamoja: A Food Security Analysis.” In his study, Levine observed that local communities often take advantage of opportunities, such as selling sorghum cheaply, to earn income. While this may seem beneficial in the short term, it poses serious risks to the Karamoja communities.
If sorghum continues to be sold cheaply and income is spent on items that cannot create resilience in an already fragile region, it can lead to increased hunger, malnutrition, and long-term hardship.
To the government agencies and stakeholders in Karamoja, there is an urgent need for collective action to address the cheap sale of sorghum. This is not about restricting income; it is about protecting communities and reducing their dependence on relief food from the Office of the Prime Minister and other partners. Some may question my argument, asking why I would advocate for limiting sales in an already impoverished region. My answer is clear: without intervention, the cycle of poverty and dependence will continue.
Damalie Akwango (2017), citing FAO, IFAD, and WFP (2015), noted that Karamoja has faced chronic food insecurity since 1964, relying heavily on relief aid. If action is not taken, one must ask: will Karamoja continue to depend on aid indefinitely?
A technical officer also expressed concern about the large trucks now entering Karamoja to collect sorghum. He stated, “These trucks go deep into people’s gardens, using local Karimojongs to collect sorghum at cheap prices, often without paying taxes.” This was described by Simon Peter Loput, the Nabilatuk District Production Officer, as ‘looting sorghum from Karamoja.’
Based on these observations, it is clear that urgent measures are needed to regulate the sale of sorghum. Protecting local harvests is essential if hunger, malnutrition, and misery are to be reduced in Karamoja.
Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com
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