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| Nakapelimen modern village for the poor in Moroto District |
At the beginning of this month, some 11 people including a child died in Tapac Sub County of Moroto district –courtesy of changa (crude alcohol) and akoro(hunger). The UN World Food Program responded a week later by sending an emergency food supplies to the Sub County.
Before this crest hour, hundreds of Tepeth women, children and a few responsible men flooded the road via Loroo Sub County in Amudat into Kenya –into Alale of North Pokot district. These trekkers spent in Kenya, all the pennies they kept. They bought maize and other cereals that can be easily boiled for quick eating, for quick escape. Walking this long distance on an empty tummy, these Ugandans do not only lose too much energy, but health...death picks some along the way.
Others took their hunger to changa. This drug enters into this part of Karamoja illegally. The consumers call it “Sironko” because it comes from Sironko and Mbale districts. In one of the community meetings I attended, some clear headed Tepeth elder referred to it as “the second gun.” He considers the number of deaths caused by the drug as coming only second to those caused by the AK47 machine.
To my surprise, the dealers in changa in Tapac are not Tepeth. They are from Mbale and may be Sironko. Some are from Tororo. These dealers are teetotallers. They even spit aside as they serve their victims, –the hungry Tepeth populace. Then it is the marble trucks for Tororo cement that carry the changa all the way to this destination of ‘the poor and the ignorant.’
I spoke to David Omido, Tororo Cement Manager for Logistics and Utility based in Moroto mining site about the scenario. He said: “The trucks are not for Tororo cement, they are for individuals who only get contracted by the company to do the transportation of lime-stones”, Omido added that, “I tried to intervene by checking the trucks and pouring the alcohol some time back, but I was largely condemned by the whole community - especially the consumers as an enemy of people”. Omido also counts the losses on laxity on the side of government authorities. That leaders of the people are not protecting them. That the alcohol dealers are simply taxed and allowed to sell the killer thing!
However, the recent loss of lives and prevalence of hunger in Tepeth land seem to have rung alittle bell. Local leaders; politicians, elders and a few enlightened youth have launched an abrupt mobilisation of communities for land preparation for agriculture –for next year! One reason the Tepeth have floated in chronic poverty despite their fairer weather status is their way and places of settlement. They live atop the mountain. They show seeds on rocks, thus; most seeds shrink off. Some get eaten up by birds and others get washed off by erosion.
Currently, the Tepeth have agreed and started a process of slopping down the hills. In their hundreds these people are today clearing vacant land downhill for agriculture and eventual settlement. According to the Sub County LCIII chairperson, Peter Loboot, the community are encouraged by the construction of the Sub County headquarters, the building of schools and health units that are ongoing but on the flat land. Other developments include the establishment of a police post and the presence of about three army detaches.
“We have decided to convince our people to slop down from the mountain and develop these too much land available down.” Loboot said, “We also want our people to take advantage of the land for large scale crop growing, instead of wasting energy planting seeds on the rocks and nothing comes out of it every year”.
In my very own opinion, this is just the right time for government and other concerned development partners to come in and help this Ugandans. May I call upon the Firstirst Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs to visit the Tepeth and chat with them a better way the government can give them a hand. I mean, the modern village project of Mrs Museveni could be the best deal in this part of Karamoja. To be honest with the world, some of the poorest Karimojong are the Tepeth forging life on top of Mount Moroto in this modern time, in this modern country.
Let somebody
pass this information to Mama Janet. Let her secure some three modern villages for
the Tepeth. The villages are doing well in Nadunget, Nakapelimen and
Nakapiripirit. Let her close her eyes and throw some behind the mountain, who
knows it might encourage the Tepeth to come down. Who knows, it might support
some security interventions of government –if they come to the plane...I meant -make
the people safer security-wise. Finally, I don’t speak for the Tepeth, I speak
for the nation.
