Dr. Ayub Mukisa: I do not cry for the colonial era, but for the people of Karamoja

In 1962, a historical writer in Karamoja stated that, “as Uganda moved towards independence, Karamoja remained an oddity, an embarrassment, with poor relations” (Barber, 1962). Surprisingly, this was the time when the colonialists were supposed to hand over administration of Karamoja to the Karamoja people.

This clearly shows that after many years of colonial rule, “Karamoja’s problem” had not been solved by the colonial authorities.

Mario Cisternino’s (1979) master’s thesis, along with the current status of Karamoja, raises questions about the colonial era in the Karamoja subregion. Actually, it makes one to ask, the type of crime the Karimojong committed in the eyes of the colonial masters. Cisternino argues that the imperialists exerted force in Karamoja, declaring it a “Human Zoo,” and were unwilling to invest significant resources in its development (Cisternino, 1979). The colonial authorities designed legislations like the Special Regions Ordinance of 1958 to punish and control Karamoja, creating “restricted areas” that isolated Karamoja from the rest of Uganda.

However, Meyerson (2024) argues that the primary objective was to control pastoral migration, facilitate livestock confiscation, and slaughter. One may wonder how an area dependent on pastoralism and susceptible to droughts could have “restricted areas,” indicating that the colonial administration either ignored or failed to understand the interests of the Karamoja people.

Through a legal fiat in 1958, colonialists forcibly acquired land in Karamoja, renaming them as national parks and game reserves (Mamdan, 1982; Rugadya, Margaret & Kamusiime 2013). The question arises: was there a plan for how the former land owners would survive with their livestock? Evidence shows that the renamed land in Karamoja, like the Kidepo Valley National Park (486 square miles), was suitable for grazing and cultivating cotton and cereals.

I am not against national parks; my argument is to demonstrate that colonial exploitation contributed to the current suffering of the Karamoja people. Indeed, Kabito (2021) confirms that during the road construction of 1915-1919, the Karimojong not only had to provide labour, but also food for themselves and the colonial supervisors during working days. Based on this type of exploitation resulting in the current suffering of Karamojong, there is a need for the former colonial masters to increase support for the people of Karamoja. The last phase of this article will be continued in the next publication.

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