Speaking after the meeting, Nabbanja said President Museveni had instructed the Ministry of Finance to urgently release the funds to facilitate the procurement and distribution of relief food to affected communities.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the Ministry of Finance to immediately release sh45bn to provide emergency food relief to thousands of people affected by severe hunger in the Karamoja sub-region.
The directive was communicated by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja during an emergency meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala to address the worsening food crisis in the Karamoja region.
The intervention follows reports that at least 16 people are believed to have died from hunger caused by a prolonged drought that has led to acute food shortages across Karamoja.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the worst-hit districts include Kabong, Kotido, Moroto, Napak, Nabilatuk and Amudat, where many families are struggling to access sufficient food.
Speaking after the meeting, Nabbanja said President Museveni had instructed the Ministry of Finance to urgently release the funds to facilitate the procurement and distribution of relief food to affected communities.
The emergency meeting brought together government ministers, officials from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Prisons Service, who have been tasked with immediately commencing the distribution of food supplies in Karamoja and neighbouring districts affected by the crisis.
In a related development, the Office of the Prime Minister, through Second Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, also convened a meeting with development partners to coordinate additional humanitarian support for the region.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the United States Embassy, UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Embassy of Ireland. The development partners pledged to support the government’s efforts to provide emergency assistance and help avert further loss of life.
Government says the coordinated response is aimed at ensuring food reaches the most vulnerable households as quickly as possible while longer-term interventions are pursued to improve food security and resilience in the drought-prone region.