MPs Demand Impact Audit of Karamoja Development Projects

Lawmakers on the Presidential Affairs Committee have urged the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of all previous government interventions and the significant funds allocated to the region. The demand arose during a meeting discussing the proposed Karamoja Regional Development Plan (KRDP), a Shs15 trillion, decade-long initiative aimed at transforming the region’s socio-economic landscape.

During the session, chaired by Hon. Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, ministers from the Karamoja Affairs ministry, including Hon. John Baptist Lokii and Hon. Esther Anyakun, outlined planned projects such as infrastructure development, water projects, and industrial initiatives. However, MPs like Hon. Lucy Akello and Hon. Harriet Nakweede raised critical questions about the efficacy of past programs.

Concerns were voiced regarding potential duplication of efforts by various government entities and a lack of clear evaluation mechanisms for completed and ongoing projects. MPs emphasized the need to identify the reasons behind the failure of previous interventions to ensure the new plan avoids similar pitfalls. Questions were also raised about the coordination of projects, with specific reference to unfinished government-funded dams and discrepancies in reporting on emergency food distribution.

Minister Anyakun assured the committee that the KRDP is designed as a “whole-of-government approach” to enhance coordination and prevent overlapping projects. However, the committee chairperson noted that the proposed KRDP plan had technically lapsed with the end of the previous parliamentary session and would need to be reintroduced as new business.

This push for an impact assessment underscores a growing concern among legislators about accountability and the efficient use of resources intended for the development of the Karamoja region. The committee stressed the importance of verifying on-the-ground project implementation and impact.