DR. AYUB MUKISA: Who will save Karamoja from the scorching sun?

There is no convincing evidence that the Karamoja subregion which was a source of ivory in the 19th century and is currently a source of marble for industrial development in the 21st century (Kabiito 2021), is suffering from the devastating effects of climate change in the 21st century.

On the contrary, these indicators of wealth and abundance are being overshadowed by the effects of drought manifested in the form of a scorching sun, which continues to impact the region and cause misery and desperation among the Karamoja people.

In this article, I will echo the sentiments of an earlier Karamoja writer who posed an engaging question in 1960: “How can we prevent Karamoja from falling further and further behind?” (Barber, 1962). Indeed, this month of February has seen temperatures so high that wildfires have been ignited, destroying the homes of the Karamoja people.

During a conversation with community monitors from the Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC) regarding the drought situation, one narrated, “For the years I have spent in Karamoja, this month the temperatures are worse than usual. It’s so hot inside my house at night that I can’t even sleep.”

Another staff member from one of the NGOs in Karamoja mentioned, “Due to the intense sunshine, the number of snakes has increased, and I fear walking back home in this heat.”

One significant challenge is that people are struggling with the effects of the sunshine, yet there is a lack of discussion on the issue. If partners and stakeholders in climate change were truly concerned about the scorching sunshine, now would be the time to intervene and provide the Karamoja people with guidance on how to adapt and withstand the harsh conditions. Livestock are suffering, water sources are drying up, and pasture is scarce, forcing the shepherds to trek long distances in search of water and pasture.

The question here is: who will step in to save the Karimojong from the effects of the scorching sun? Furthermore, “how can we prevent Karamoja from falling further and further behind?” My plea to concerned authorities, whether donors, academic institutions, government entities, or NGOs, is to intervene and provide solutions to address the immediate effects of the scorching sun in Karamoja sub region.

Ayub Mukisa (PhD) Executive Director Karamoja Anti Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com