KAMPALA, July 20, 2026 — The government has flagged off an emergency food relief operation for the Karamoja sub-region, dispatching thousands of tonnes of maize flour and dry beans to households affected by a prolonged dry spell that has devastated agricultural production and heightened food insecurity.
The relief intervention, coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister [OPM], will see 9,419,610 kilogrammes of maize flour and dry beans distributed to 313,987 households across 480 parishes in the nine districts of Karamoja.
The exercise is being implemented in partnership with the National Enterprise Corporation [NEC], the Uganda People’s Defence Forces [UPDF], the Uganda Prisons Service [UPS], the Uganda Police Force [UPF], and local governments to ensure the food reaches vulnerable families efficiently, transparently and accountably.
Speaking on Monday during the flag off ceremony at the National Enterprise Corporation headquarters in Bugoloobi, Kampala, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said the government remained committed to protecting the lives and livelihoods of people affected by the prolonged drought.
“The Government stands with the people of Karamoja and will continue to mobilise the necessary resources to support their recovery and build resilience against future shocks,” Nabbanja said.
She noted that the emergency intervention demonstrates the government’s determination to ensure that no family is left without food as efforts continue to restore livelihoods in the region.
Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Sam Engola urged all stakeholders involved in the exercise to uphold transparency and accountability throughout the distribution process.
“I call upon political, religious and community leaders, civil society organisations and the beneficiaries themselves to support this exercise by promoting transparency, accountability and peaceful distribution,” Engola said.
Karamoja has repeatedly faced cycles of drought, erratic rainfall and crop failures, leaving thousands of households vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition. The government has over the years combined emergency food assistance with longer term development programmes aimed at improving agricultural productivity, water access and household resilience.
Officials said the intervention is the government strategy to cushion affected communities while implementing sustainable solutions to recurring climate related shocks.
The government also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening resilience against future dry spells through long term investments under the recently approved Karamoja Regional Development Plan.
The Office of the Prime Minister said it will continue monitoring the food security situation across the sub region while coordinating humanitarian assistance and implementing programmes designed to safeguard lives, restore livelihoods and accelerate socio economic transformation in Karamoja.
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