Drought in the East African country, Uganda, is not a new phenomenon since it happens almost every year, especially nowadays.
However, according to Francis, this year’s drought is different from previous droughts as it caused by natural phenomenon called La Niņa, which is followed by Eli-no and characterized by long drought and extreme heat.
“It is a little bit extraordinary. It does not compare with the normal drought that we have always been witnessing,” he remarks.
After Uganda had experienced Eli-no which struck most parts of the country by resulting a lot of water logging and massive destruction of crops last year, the department of meteorology was able to indicate that it was immediately followed by La Niņa, a phenomenon which is the opposite of Eli-no, as Office of the Prime Minister stated.
“Thus, from about October last year, we have been warning the country that we also have this experience and certainly the country is going to suffer from food shortages,” said Francis. “We were also cautioned people who occupied the cattle corridor to be careful, particularly warn them against burning pasture because we knew that this drought is going to have its impact on both animals and humans.”
The thinking at that time was that probably at this time the rain would have started. But the latest forecast from meteorology department indicated that it is likely a little longer. According to the prediction, the rain might come back probably around April.
Currently, there are areas that are already beginning to face serious food problems. In karamoja, for instance, there are communities who are going out without food. And the same applies to areas that are suffering from water logging like the Teso region.
Affected areas
Certainly Karamoja, northeast edge of Uganda where it borders Kenya and the Sudan, is worst affected. It is “per annual problem” in Karamoja because of many more reasons.
Apart Teso region which is being affected by drought, the “cattle corridor”, beginning from Nakasangolo going right up to Mutokola, is already in problems followed by drought.
The outcome of the on-coming drought is expected to be worse in these “cattle corridor” areas, which are typified by semi-arid and dry sub-humid conditions, since they are mainly rangelands and they cover approximately 40 percent of the total land area of the country.
“It is unfortunate that even some parts of the country which have always been witnessing bumper harvest are suffered from water logging and they are suffering from food shortage,” the State Minister comments.
Delay of Response – “the sooner the better”
Ugandan politicians have not given much attention to the existing drought since they were busy to secure their seats from the Presidential and Parliamentary elections of 2011.
It is true that in the confusion of elections, we did not have so much focus on the welfare of families (those who are being affected by drought) because we were very busy in elections,” Francis admitted. “But the truth is that there are people who do not know when their next meal is going to come. Animals are suffering and there are reports that they may start dying soon.”
He also confirmed that the government is going to start in very few days to move emergency relief to those areas.
“We, as a government, are doing everything we can to ensure that nobody dies of hunger in these areas that are already experiencing situation of hunger,” he told to journalists.
The government is also working closely with its partners from World Food Programme (WFP) to feed the vulnerable communities in Karamoja as State Minister Francis said.
According to predictions from meteorological department, the current drought may keep on up to the end of April when Ugandans expect the first rain start falling.
Thus, despite the fact that the government has not yet estimated how much the on-coming drought cost might incur, it is inevitable that death rates during drought are particularly high among certain animal species. Cattle, for instance, are less resistant than sheep and goats.
However, Musa Francis seems optimistic. He says, “It is a serious matter but a matter that we are being prepared to do everything.”
"We are already in the crisis. There are areas where people are going with only one meal in a day. There are also areas in Karamoja region where people do not have a meal at all unless they are rescued. That is what is happening, the reality that we must tackle," Ecweru Musa Francis, State Minister, Relief and Disaster Preparedness, explains the magnitude of drought in Uganda.
Drought in the East African country, Uganda, is not a new phenomenon since it happens almost every year, especially nowadays.
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