Dodoth North County MP Joseph Komol Miidi has appealed to the government to urgently provide more food and emergency relief to his constituents, saying hunger-related deaths are being reported in his constituency in Kaabong District.
Komol said the situation had deteriorated following poor harvests, the loss of livestock and the effects of changing weather patterns, leaving many households struggling to find food.
Speaking to Bbeg Media at Parliament, the legislator said some residents had turned to him for help transporting bodies of people who had died, which he attributed to hunger.
“The situation has gone worse, where my people have approached me to carry dead bodies in my own pickup vehicle. The deaths are mainly due to hunger,” Komol said.
He said the failure of crops during the previous growing season had worsened food insecurity in the area, while livestock raids had further weakened households that depend on animals for food and income.
The MP called on the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which coordinates disaster preparedness and emergency relief, to intervene before the situation deteriorates further.
Komol acknowledged that the government had recently delivered relief supplies through the disaster preparedness authorities but said the assistance was insufficient to meet the needs of affected communities.
He also expressed concern that some of the relief supplies had been distributed to other areas in the Acholi and Teso sub-regions, which he said were also experiencing food shortages.
While recognising that other communities faced similar challenges, Komol said the government needed to ensure that the most vulnerable households in Dodoth North received adequate assistance.
The MP’s account highlights the food security challenges facing parts of Karamoja, where communities that depend on livestock keeping and subsistence farming are vulnerable to drought, poor harvests and insecurity.
Komol, who serves on Parliament’s Committee on ICT and Climate Change, said the government should also address the long-term challenges that prevent communities in his constituency from recovering economically.
He cited poor telecommunications coverage, inadequate roads and limited electricity access as major obstacles to investment and development.
The legislator said he had engaged the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) over plans to improve telecommunications coverage in the constituency.
According to Komol, the two institutions had agreed to establish communication signal boosters in three sub-counties, including Kabong East, although he did not provide a timeline for the installations.
He said poor network coverage made it difficult for residents and businesses to communicate reliably, access digital services and take advantage of commercial opportunities.
Improved connectivity, he argued, would help traders communicate with customers and suppliers, support business transactions and expand access to services that could contribute to local economic growth.
The MP welcomed the expansion of electricity access in parts of Karamoja, including Moroto, but said some sub-counties in his constituency were still waiting for electricity infrastructure.
He expressed hope that the planned tarmacking of the Moroto-Kitgum road would improve transport links and stimulate economic activity in the region.
However, the government has yet to be independently confirmed as having committed to a specific implementation schedule for the road works.
Komol, who is serving his second term in Parliament, also reflected on his political career, saying his experience in local government and administration had shaped his approach to representing his constituents.
Before becoming an MP, he served as LC III chairperson, worked as a sub-county internal security officer and later headed Kaabong district.
He said these roles had given him an understanding of the challenges facing residents and strengthened his commitment to public service.
The legislator also praised the leadership of the 12th Parliament under Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth, saying he was encouraged by what he considered a greater focus on parliamentary business that directly addresses the concerns of constituents.
Komol said he expected Parliament to continue using its legislative, oversight and representation roles to push for solutions to the problems affecting communities.
