During a plenary sitting on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, Ugandan Members of Parliament called on the government to pivot away from recurrent emergency food relief, urging instead for increased financial investment in long-term disaster preparedness and irrigation systems.
The parliamentary debate followed an official statement delivered by the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Sam Engola, concerning the current state of disasters and ongoing state interventions. The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
Minister Engola informed the House that the government is actively distributing emergency food supplies to 313,987 households spread across 480 parishes in nine districts of Karamoja, with each household expected to receive 20 kilograms of maize flour and 10 kilograms of beans.
The intervention addresses acute food insecurity gripping Karamoja. According to government figures, approximately 473,000 individuals in the region are currently facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse, a figure that includes 41,000 people classified under emergency conditions.
Lawmakers Question Relief Sustainability
While acknowledging the immediate necessity of the food distribution, lawmakers questioned the long-term viability of relying on emergency relief funds.
Faith Nakut commended the government for delivering food directly to the parish level but raised doubts regarding future funding cycles. “Reports indicate that food distributed is finished; sustaining food relief is a difficult job,” Nakut said during the plenary. She noted that the government has committed Shs45 billion to the current response, asking, “What about the next time? That is why I ask for the support of farmers to grow their crops.”
Francis Adome Lorika reported that approximately 2,000 households within his constituency have yet to receive their food allocations. Lorika echoed calls for permanent solutions, advocating for structured irrigation projects and the planned resettlement of communities currently residing in high-risk, disaster-prone areas.
Gulu City Woman MP Hon. Betty Aol Ocan urged the administration to reinstate government food reserves to better buffer against future shocks. “We cannot wait for people to die in order to come to their rescue. There used to be silos—big government stores to keep food for help in times of disasters,” Aol Ocan stated.
Demands for Stalled Irrigation Projects
Lawmakers emphasized agricultural water management as a vital shield against recurring dry spells that routinely compromise local harvests.
Jesca Ababiku urged the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to revive a stalled irrigation initiative in her district. According to Ababiku, ministry officials conducted site surveys in Adjumani five years ago, but no physical infrastructure has been developed since. “The issue of irrigation is key,” Ababiku said, pointing out that Adjumani remains heavily impacted by droughts that have disrupted agricultural programs linked to the Parish Development Model.
Contingency Plans for Impending Rains
In response to parliamentary concerns regarding compounding weather extremes, Minister Engola outlined preparations for upcoming seasonal shifts.
The government is currently drafting an El-Nino contingency plan following meteorological forecasts warning of above-normal rainfall between September and December 2026. Engola stated that the framework will govern multi-sectoral operations before, during, and after the heavy rains, targeting agriculture, food security, works, transport, and health sectors.
Additional measures outlined by the ministry include public awareness campaigns regarding early weather warnings and directives for local governments to strictly enforce environmental regulations that prohibit settlement in hazardous, flood-prone zones.
Addressing the threat of impending severe weather alongside ongoing dry conditions, Nakut urged proactive infrastructural maintenance. “We are battling with drought, what about flooding expected in weeks’ time? I implore government to deploy equipment for desilting. Let water move, otherwise this House will be burdened by many disasters related requests,” Nakut said.
