Hundreds of Karimojong women, who attended the First Karamoja Annual Women Conference that was held in Hotel Leslona in Moroto on 28th December 2019, have resolved to petition parliament, demanding for a female Karimojong Cabinet minister and the ministers for Karamoja Affairs to be Karimojong.
“We, women of Karamoja, during this Karamoja Women Conference, have resolved to write a petition to parliament demanding for a female Karimojong government minister,” said Ms. Betty Lomuria, an activist and a member of the conference strategy team.
In her conference keynote address, Ms. Norah Owaraga, the Managing Director of CPAR Uganda, shared her analysis of the Cabinet of Uganda, as it was reshuffled by President Museveni on 14th December 2019, in which she revealed that none of the 80 cabinet ministers are Karimojong women.
“As Karimojong Women, we are resolving that the Ministry for Karamoja Affairs should be run or manned by a Karimojong,” said Esther Angella, a Lawyer who participated in the conference.
And amid resounding ululations of affirmation from the other participants another participant added:
“The Ministry for Karamoja Affairs is a fully fledged office with not even one person, for example, a cleaner or a social worker or a receptionist, who is a Karimojong. So how do we get Karamoja issues in that ministry? We need the people in that office to be a functional office of Karamojongs working for Karamoja.”
The current Minister for Karamoja Affairs, who was first appointed in that position in 2016, is NRM’s Hon. Byabagambi John, MP for Ibanda South in Western Uganda. And the current State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, who was also first appointed into that position in 2016, is NRM’s Hon. Kizige Moses, MP for Bugabula North in Kamuli District in Busoga.
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