MOROTO – President Museveni has on Tuesday, June 11, unveiled plans to construct about 20 water dams in Karamoja in a bid to contain the problem of inadequate water in the arid region.
Mr. Museveni said this during his country-wide Wealth-Creation tour, while in Karamoja at Boma grounds in Naitakwai, Moroti, he highlighted that water is the only persistent issue in the region now.
He promised that the government is going to solve this issue completely.
“The Minister (for Karamoja) tells me that one dam would cost about UGX6bn, Let us build at least 20 big dams to deal with the water problem here,” Museveni remarked.
The President added that once there’s adequate water, farming will be much easier to commercialize.
“We shall also introduce dairy cows so our people can sell milk and earn,” he added.
He urged Karamajongs to get rid of manyattas (grass thatched houses) and build better houses.
“Having manyattas then it rains and you stay awake all night is not living, it is surviving,” he added.
Museveni said this is only possible when they abandon subsistence methods of farming and make money to impact their lives positively.
“Stop farming for the stomach, stop nomadism. I will start doing some farming here (in Karamoja) myself so that I challenge you,” he concluded.
Leaders of Karamoja region speaking at the same event commended the President to bringing development to their areas and assured him support in the 2021 polls.
They said he is the only leader who believed in them when the rest of the country claimed they cannot wait for Karamoja to develop.
“Now that God has given us a leader who has ensured that we have tarmac roads, schools, hospitals and many others, we want to tell the people of Kampala to give us a chance to appreciate what government is doing for us,” said Simon Peter Aleper, NRM’s Vice Chairperson for Karamoja region.
“Wait for us in Kampala when we are dissatisfied, we shall find you there and say no,” Aleper added.
The NRM Chairperson for Kotido Hon. Abraham Lokii moved a resolution to support President Museveni as the NRM sole candidate for the election of NRM National Chairperson and Presidential candidate for 2021 and beyond.
He was seconded by the chairpersons of Moroto, Kotido, Napak, Amudat, Nakapiripirit, Abim, Nadunget and Kaabong districts respectively.
