In a shocking and callous statement, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, has ignited a wave of outrage by labeling those who succumbed to hunger in the country as “idiots.”
The controversial comment was made during an interview with NTV Uganda, where Oryem suggested that the favorable climate and fertile land in Uganda should be sufficient motivation for citizens to grow their own food.
“It’s only an idiot, a real idiot, that can die of hunger in Uganda,” declared the state minister for foreign affairs, emphasizing that hard work and utilizing available resources could prevent such dire circumstances.
However, Oryem’s remarks have not only raised eyebrows but have also fueled a backlash from legislators who view the statement as insensitive and detached from the reality faced by many Ugandans.
Moses Aleper, a legislator representing Chekwii County in the affected Karamoja region, expressed his disapproval of Oryem’s views, deeming them “not right” and “unfortunate coming from a minister who knows what goes on in this country.”
Aleper emphasized that factors beyond individual effort, such as weather vagaries and climate changes, often contribute to situations where obtaining food becomes a challenge.
The criticism extended beyond the political realm, with prominent Ugandan author and journalist, Charles Onyango-Obbo, asserting that Minister Oryem failed to grasp the root cause of hunger in Uganda.
Onyango-Obbo argued that hunger in the country is more of a distribution and market problem rather than a result of individual effort.
Concerns about the region’s food situation, particularly in Karamoja, are amplified due to its semi-arid climatic conditions, often leading to hunger during dry seasons.
While official data on the current food situation in Karamoja is not readily available, the region has a history of grappling with food scarcity. In an interview with The Observer newspaper in 2018, Dr. Stephen Mpadde, a senior medical worker at Moroto Regional Refferal Hospital disclosed that approximately 200 Ugandans in the Karamoja subregion succumb to hunger and malnutrition annually.
Notably, in 2022, an official human rights report revealed that over 2,200 people succumbed to starvation and related illnesses in northeast Uganda.
This tragic statistic underscores the severity of the issue and the complexities surrounding hunger in the country, contrary to the minister’s dismissive remarks.
As public outrage continues to escalate, the controversy surrounding Minister Oryem’s statement underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted challenges contributing to hunger in Uganda.
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