Acholi Local Government Leaders Forum Speaks to the Press on hunger challenge,Photo By Komakech Jimmy
By Komakech Jimmy
Gulu:Local councilor five chairpersons in Acholi sub region under their newly formed umbrella of Acholi Local Government Leaders Forum have presented a dire situation of hunger in Acholi sub region which is tormenting livelihoods in the spotlighted districts of Agago, Pader and Lamwo.
The body revealed that the Forum is an icon of local government, of the people of the region, that will focus on bringing unity among the leaders and the people of Acholi to eradicate poverty.
Alfred Akena, the Pader District chairperson double as the chairperson of Acholi district Local Government Leaders’ Forum panned his preface focus on industrialization for the economy to grow citing Gulu city as well placed with opportunities.
He remarked that aside from the current prevailing situation of the hunger, food insecurity is on the other end looming large due drought that has ravaged the region.
‘’Government has it all. But we are saying we need to assert ourselves on how we should be supported in the areas of irrigation, in the area of commercialization all this involve intervention of government to complement, to propel so that we move’’ he asserts
He stretched that commercial agriculture involve tractor use. And if we don’t have, commercial agriculture involve irrigation. Commercial agriculture involve experts.
Obol Justine Simple man , the Lc5 chairperson of Gulu District who doubles as the Forums’ vice chairperson submitted that Food production across the sub-region has been affected in the first season due to the long dry spell that has significantly affected farmers across the region
Following the strike, Obol disclosed that it has burdened the whole sub-region. Citing that In Gulu district, production this time has gone low given the fact that people did not harvest anything farm produce due to drought.
He relates that poverty has eaten Achioli sub-region badly despite the different government initiatives like restocking and others which he believe are already beginning to give hope to the populace.
According to Obol, they shall work together with the members of parliament and other co-opted members to strategically respond to the challenges affecting the region.
Wilson Otoo, the chairman of LC5 of Agago District Local Government says they are working in unison to demonstrate unity. Unity to develop and unity to stand for the people of Achioli.
‘’As I talk on issues of hunger today, to date we have lost 15 people. By 8th, we had lost 12. Between 8th and today, additional three died.’’ Otoo cited.
He further disclosed that between June and July 2026, the district admitted a total of 351 people out of malnutrition resulting from severe hunger.
In apportioning the challenge, Otto attributed the hunger spell to porous borders with the people of Karamoja, as they are still recording cattle with people being killed, Wildlife incursion among others
‘’To date, as I speak, we have over 100 elephants eating our crops across the border. And this is why this unity with the chairperson is important. So that I don’t speak as Wilson of Agago, but I speak on behalf of our people’’, He emphasized.
In the wake of the looming famine, he mentioned that they have agreed to petition the office of the prime minister pleading to equally be given 45 billion shillings that was allocated to people of Karamojong be given to support the languishing people in Acholi alike.
Acire Julius Labeja, Gulu City Mayor said the forum will situate itself and work with the focus within the development plans laid forth.
Labeja revealed that the caucus is not necessarily to create a misalignment, but to align and underscore their strengths simultaneously with what the region can contribute.
He challenged the residents for not making productive use of the arable land the region has, questioning market for produces which he claims is invisible and inaccessible. He beseeched members for strategic collaboration and partnership with other sub regions.
Labeja emphasized on the need to be people centered by rendering service delivery which is pro people
Sisto Oyet, The district Lc5 Chairperson of Lamwo district who illustrated the dire situation picture of the tragedy, pointed that various crop gardens in Lamwo have wilted laving the populace with completely nothing to survive on since there was hardly any harvest done.
‘’When you look at this maize garden, it has reached a state where it could now mature, but because of the drought, the crop has dried. And as I talk right now, members, we have so far assisted eight people who lost their lives due to hunger. And in the various health centers, we are having 126 patients who are sick just because of hunger’’ Oyet lamented.
He added that other children who are critically sick, have been referred to Gulu City at Love One Intentional an NGO managing the severe cases of malnutrition from Lamwo.
According to Oyet, People have just started dying, and more will die since no any harvest is expected to be done hence forth.
He disclosed that the current situation is affecting even the people with money, they have nothing to buy. The food, the price for maize, maize used to be 400 per kilogram has exponentially risen to 1,400, and which is not really affordable.
In Nwoya District, Patrick Oryema the district chairperson points that as leaders has they have talked about unity and pursuit to eradicate of poverty , projecting the need industrialize the sub-region, through strategic management for the available arable land.
He urged that the sub-region, need to look at other opportunities to address the challenge of drought appealing to government to provide machinery for enough water for production to address the drought challenge in the region.
According to Oryema, about 20-60% is being catered for by government to acquire agro machineries, and when you compute the 20% that they are talking about, it’s quite a lot of money for the peasants.
He appealed for a reduction of the percentage by the government so as to attract more people getting involved in solar irrigation system which will in turn address some of the challenges being recorded.
Oryema explains that the region is more on cereals, but people are coming from outside sub-region, using water for production, using the solar irrigation system and realize bumper harvest for both subsistence and commercial uses.
He cited that the biggest problem in Nwoya is stray elephants which continues to evade and destroy crops in the gardens saying that in sub-counties like Lii, Langele parish, People have planted heavily, but elephants came for their shares and they finished their entire shares, he appealed to the government to Fast tract the electric fencing initiative.
According to CPAR Uganda, Overall, Acholi Sub-Region is the best performing sub-region of Greater Northern Uganda, in terms of household food security.
About half of households in Acholi Sub-Region are food secure and this is throughout the sub-region, with the exception of Lamwo District.
The state of food security in Acholi, by district, and in order of the most food secure is as follows:58.7% of households in Amuru District are food secure.54.3% in Nwoya District 53.1% ,Gulu District 50.0% Kitgum District 49.7%, Agago District 48.7% , Pader District 48.5% , Omoro District and 39.0% households in Lamwo District are food secure.
With a population of over 2 million it means thousands of people of Acholi have difficulties accessing sufficient food. Since, half of households in Acholi experience frequent and prolonged periods of insufficient food intake due to lack of money and other resources, forcing members of those households to skip meals or go an entire day without a meal.
