President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced that the government will build two dams in each sub-county in the Karamoja subregion to address the problem of persistent lack of water.
While addressing local leaders from the region on wealth creation activities at Nataikwae Sports ground, Moroto Municipality, Thursday, December 4th, 2024, the president noted that the region needs reliable water dams to support livestock farming.
He says this will be implemented through the Karamoja Strategic plans to ensure that the region whose economy predominantly depends on livestock is empowered.
“The Karamoja Strategic Plan should focus on establishing two dams per sub-county. With peace, mindset change, health, roads, education, and electricity. Karamoja needs peace and water first, and the rest you can add on. This is what I am going to integrate in the National Development Plans,” said the President.
President Museveni, who is currently touring the region to assess the implementation of the Parish Development Model program, said, “This time we said, commercial agriculture is the way to go.”
“This is the message we have been giving to Ugandans: we need to create wealth using four sectors, including commercial farming, services, ICT, and industrialization. This will help us to create jobs for our people. We have been talking but have been sleeping,” the president said.
The president underscored the importance of peace in the region and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring stability in the area to spur socio-economic empowerment.
“So there is no doubt that people are waking up. Wealth creation is possible. There is no tarmac road in Amudat, but people there are making wealth. Goats don’t need tarmac roads; they just need grasses and water, so let’s concentrate on wealth creation; the rest will come,” the president noted.
According to the president, this year alone, the government has sent Shs5 million for water to the Karamoja region.
He says that in the last four years, Karamoja got Shs24 billion, and they will discuss with the leaders of Karamoja on the best way forward.
“Since we want to transform Karamoja, I want you to agree with me, and we handle the matter of developing Karamoja the guerilla way, how we fought. Do what you must do at the right time,” President Museveni said.
In a joint memorandum presented by MP Remigio Achia of Pian County in the Nabilatuk district, the leaders emphasized the urgent for more dams to be built in the region.
On Friday, President Museveni will proceed to Kotido district, where he will address a public gathering to rally people towards wealth creation.
