Members of Parliament drawn from Karamoja Region have rallied their support for the formation of Karamoja Regional Development Initiative (KAREDI), a Non-Governmental Organization. The legislatures registered their support of the Region’s NGO, saying it will support development and stem insecurity related incidents, at a one-day workshop held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Thursday.
‘Karamoja Development Initiative was established in 2018 as a regional forum representing leaders from Karamoja nine Districts who joined together to drive a locally led development agenda. KAREDI membership is diverse, comprising the political, cultural, religious, private sector, civil society, youth and women leaders“, said, Hon. Kodet John Paul, KAREDI Chairperson and Local Council 5 Chairperson for Nepak District.
He said their motto is: “Whatever we do we are doing it for our Karamoja”
He added that KOREDI focuses on the need for accelerated Karamoja Development (AKAD) through a 20-year Regional Development Strategy and Investment Plan, which was made to bring about inclusive socio-economic transformation.
“KAREDI believes in the aspirations of developing locally owned solutions to address Karamoja challenges and working, connecting and coordinating with the Government of Uganda, Development Partners, Civil Society Cultural Elders, Special Interest and Indigenous Groups, plus the Private Sector to achieve the desired Peace and Development for Karamoja,”he added.
Hon. Remigio Achia, Karamoja Parliamentary Group Chairperson, labored to trace the regions challenges of poverty and insecurity, back to the Colonial times when the British forcefully discouraged Karamajong from engaging in livestock farming in preference of crop farming, which was not their traditional economic practice. He said the British appointed local Chiefs among the Karamajong, who unleashed terror on their fellow people through taxation and hard labor.
“Trouble of insecurity started in 1967 when Karamajong elders rejected local Chiefs, who helped the British loot our cows and steal ivory from the abundant wildlife. The elders mobilized communities and killed a handful of the local chiefs. The British in return also unleashed terror on Karamajong elders by shooting the people indiscriminately, which resulted in Karamajong people devising means to get weapons from Arab Egyptian traders, to counter the British terror on them,” he said.
He said to curb insecurity in the Karamoja Region, the Government should put in place a long-term development and security strategic plan, by working with local communities to find a remedy to their immediate needs and aspirations. He advocated for restocking of Karamajong stolen cows during the insecurity period because 80 percent of Karamajong treat livestock farming as their livelihood economic venture.
Members of the Karamoja Region resolved to lobby for the Government to financially support KAREDI to stem poverty in their region. The meeting was sponsored by Mercy Corps NGO, in partnership with US Agency for International Development (USAID).
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