Members of Parliament from the Karamoja region have protested the appointments of Maria Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, as ministers in charge of Karamoja.
President Museveni on Tuesday evening appointed the former Energy Minister Maria Goretti Kitutu as Minister for Karamoja and former NTV journalist, Agnes Nandutu, the Minister of State for Karamoja. Kitutu is the Woman MP Manafwa while Agnes Nandutu, Bududa Woman MP.
In a press conference held on Friday at Parliament, the 15 MPs from Karamoja said that the appointments should be revised because appointing people from outside Karamoja will not help the people of Karamoja.
Remigio Achia, the Pian County MP and chair of the Karamoja group says that Karamoja has a unique problem that doesn’t only require an understanding of the region, but also someone who understands the language and can mobilize the people.
He says that there is insecurity in Karamoja due to increasing cattle rustling. He says that such challenges need to be addressed by a native minister.
According to Achia, the past ministers of Karamoja who do not hail from the region have been tourists in the area because they don’t understand the needs of the natives.
Faith Nakut, the Woman MP Napak says that the problem with ministers who are not from Karamoja, they come with a mentality that people in Karamoja are backward, and this hinders them from working.
The MPs say that the President should revise the cabinet.
Paul Lokol, the LC V chairperson Nabilatuk says that the appointment of the two ministers who hail from the Bugisu region to manage Karamoja affairs is an insult to the people of Karamoja.
He says that despite the Karimojong being loyal to NRM, they are still not pleased with the appointments.
“Why send the same people from Bugisu to Karamoja. Are our MPs not legible for those positions? He asked.
Simon Nangiro, one of the opinion leaders says that the appointment of Kitutu and Nadutu is meant to impress the Bugisu region and not Karimojong.
Joyce Nangiro, a resident of Moroto municipality says appointing people who do not know pastoralism will not address the concerns of the Karamojongs.
I do understand the position of my brothers and sisters from Karamoja. Whereas their concerns on the basis that the ministers appointed for Northern region and Bunyoro affairs normally come from those regions, they ought to know that the ministry has a national outlook. Besides that, with several districts in that sub region, the failure to appoint one of your own saves you! This is premised on the fact that some districts will feel marginalized time and again. As you may be aware, karamoja is one of the regions in Uganda where the clan system is still very operational. So, still people of different clans would still say they are not prioritized. All in all, we should be able to look at our problems and solutions as a country.