By Counsel Twinobusingye Severino
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) recently launched yet another emergency food relief operation for the Karamoja sub-region. As has become far too common, this intervention follows prolonged dry conditions that have devastated crops, leading to severe food scarcity and hunger-related fatalities.
Relief food was delivered to Loduku and Loyoru sub-counties in Kaabong District, with plans to extend emergency assistance to Kotido, Napak, Amudat, and Moroto districts, where harvests have failed.
Located in north-eastern Uganda, Karamoja experiences low, sporadic rainfall (ranging between 350mm and 1,000mm annually) alongside high year-round temperatures. While major rivers such as Acolcol, Dopeth, Kitorosi, Moroto, and Okere pass through the region, all are seasonal. They dry up completely during dry spells, leaving communities without basic water supplies.
Uganda as a country is blessed with abundant natural beauty—lakes, rivers, and mountains constitute roughly 15% of its surface area in freshwater, supported by two distinct rainy seasons. However, these natural water reservoirs are unevenly distributed.
Because of irregular rainfall and seasonal rivers, farming in Karamoja is exceptionally difficult. Yet, the sub-region possesses massive potential to become a major national and regional food basket. Traditionally a livestock-farming region, Karamoja could easily dominate Africa’s beef and dairy sectors if its water challenge were permanently solved.
This crisis is not confined to Karamoja alone; it regularly spills over into the neighbouring Teso sub-region:
Human impact: Research shows over 70% of households in Karamoja have limited access to water, surviving on less than 20 litres per person per day. Locals often walk up to 15 kilometres to fetch water from severely depleted sources.
Livestock losses: In Katakwi District, prolonged dry spells have led to severe pasture and water scarcity, causing disease outbreaks and animal deaths. Reports indicated that over 1,000 livestock died in Katakwi following a four-month drought, with sub-counties losing 5 to 10 animals daily.
Resource conflicts: As water sources dry up, pastoralists are forced to roam neighbouring communities in search of pasture and water, frequently triggering localised disputes.
To address this ongoing crisis, the Government and its development partners previously introduced targeted water interventions through initiatives such as the Comprehensive Disarmament Program (CDP). These included drilling boreholes and constructing valley dams, tanks, and ponds.
While these efforts brought short-term relief, high evaporation rates, climate change, and prolonged dry spells mean the underlying challenge persists—continually constraining agriculture and rural livelihoods.
To create a permanent solution, the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project—an initiative of the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLSI) and the Kotido Catholic Diocese, through its Faculty for Agriculture and Environmental Sciences—has introduced a transformative infrastructure project.
Working alongside international partners, notably VCE Company from Israel, and the Ministry of Water and Environment, KAPATU seeks to invest €150 million (approx. UGX 1.3 trillion) to extend a bulk water supply network across the Karamoja and Teso sub-regions.
A Presidential Initiative: Guided by H.E. the President in his capacity as Founding Chancellor of KAPATU, this initiative aims to piped water directly to every Ere (home), Awi (village), and Erein (Town Council).
Settled Communities: By bringing water directly to villages, pastoral families can remain in one place rather than migrating seasonally during dry spells.
Agricultural Transformation: Guaranteed water for irrigation allows local farmers to grow crops reliably year-round and build a thriving livestock industry.
Social Upliftment: Reliable domestic water access eliminates the need for women and girls to undertake long, dangerous journeys to fetch water, freeing time for education and economic opportunities.
Social & Economic Infrastructure: Stable water access provides the foundation necessary to build lasting local services, including hospitals, schools, and commercial hubs.
Through sustainable water infrastructure, Karamoja and Teso can move away from emergency food relief and achieve long-term socio-economic transformation.
The writer is the KAPATU (Project) Council Chairperson and CLSI President.
ABOUT KAPATU
KAPATU is a Nucleus National Public University established jointly by the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto, the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLASI), headed by its president, Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, and the government of Uganda. Its main campus is situated at Losilang, Kotido municipality (Karamoja). The initiative aims to foster peace and sustainable development in the region through education.
It was conceived in 2014 but actualised on 29th April, 2023, in a colourful ceremony at Nsambya presided over by the Vice President of Uganda, H.E. Maj. Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, who represented H.E. the President. The KAPATU project is being overseen by a Strategic Leadership Committee comprising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Chair/Founding Chancellor), Vice President Jessica Rose Epel Alupo (Founding Deputy Chancellor), and First Lady, also Minister for Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni.
The government has, in the FY2025/26, allocated Shs180bn for the university’s establishment following a special cabinet sitting on 16th December 2024, chaired by H.E. the President and also attended by H.E. the Vice President.