Lawmakers from the Karamoja sub-region have expressed their opposition to a government bill seeking to abolish the Karamoja Development Agency (KDA) under the Rationalization of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) program.
The Karamoja Affairs Minister, Mary Goretti Kitutu, presented the bill to repeal KDA to the parliamentary committee of Presidential Affairs, citing that the agency was already non-functional. However, MPs from the sub-region, led by the chairperson of the Karamoja Parliamentary Group, Remegio Achia, contested the move, arguing that Karamoja still needs the affirmative action agency to help bridge the development gap with other regions where development is more advanced.
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1987, the Karamoja Development Agency was created to support development by connecting the people of Karamoja to the resources and opportunities they need to build strong, stable livelihoods that can withstand future challenges. Unfortunately, its operations were suspended in 1994 due to corruption. MPs from the region were in talks with the government to revive the agency to restore its lost glory.
Despite some lawmakers’ belief that KDA achieved more in the short time it operated in Karamoja than the Ministry of Karamoja has achieved over the years, Kitutu pleaded with Karamoja MPs to remain calm as she continued to consult on whether the agency could be saved from rationalization. She reminded lawmakers that the ministry has done something in the area, except for the few issues that undermined their achievements. The legislators requested the committee to retain the agency but allow amendments in its mandate and operations for improvement.
