PM Nabbanja Commends Gen. James Mugira as NEC Delivers Emergency Food Aid to Karamoja

KAMPALA, Uganda – The Government of Uganda has launched an emergency food relief operation for the Karamoja sub-region following a worsening hunger crisis caused by prolonged drought, with Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja flagging off thousands of tonnes of relief food destined for the region.

The flag-off ceremony, held on Monday at the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Headquarters in Bugolobi, marked the beginning of the distribution of 9,419,610 kilograms of maize flour and dry beans to vulnerable households across Karamoja.

The emergency intervention is being implemented on the directive of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) coordinating the exercise in partnership with the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) and the Uganda Prisons Service.

Government Responds to Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Addressing officials at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nabbanja said the relief operation demonstrates the Government's commitment to protecting vulnerable communities affected by the devastating effects of climate change.

She explained that the prolonged drought has destroyed crops, decimated livestock and deprived thousands of families of both food and income, creating an urgent humanitarian situation that required immediate government intervention.

The Prime Minister stressed that the relief food must reach the intended beneficiaries without interference, warning that the Government would not tolerate corruption or diversion of food supplies during the distribution exercise.

She called upon political leaders, local government officials, security agencies and community leaders across Karamoja to closely monitor the distribution process to ensure transparency and accountability.

"The food is meant for the people who are suffering. Every leader must ensure it reaches those who need it most," she emphasized.

NEC Praised for Affordable and Timely Delivery

Prime Minister Nabbanja commended the National Enterprise Corporation under the leadership of Lt. Gen. James Mugira for responding swiftly to the Presidential directive and providing relief food at significantly lower prices than private suppliers.

She disclosed that before engaging NEC, the Office of the Prime Minister had consulted private suppliers, who quoted Shs4,500 per kilogram of beans and Shs3,320 per kilogram of maize flour (posho).

In contrast, NEC supplied beans at Shs4,000 per kilogram and maize flour at Shs2,800 per kilogram, generating substantial savings for the Government.

Beyond the lower prices, the Prime Minister noted that working with a government-owned enterprise eliminated lengthy procurement procedures and enabled a much faster response to the emergency.

She described the partnership as a practical demonstration of how government institutions can work together efficiently to serve Ugandans during times of crisis.

Minister Engola Calls for Long-Term Solutions

The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Sam Engola, thanked President Museveni for directing the rapid response and praised the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), Government ministries and political leaders for their coordinated efforts.

While welcoming the emergency intervention, Engola emphasized that long-term measures are necessary to prevent recurring food crises in Karamoja.

He urged Government to invest heavily in irrigation infrastructure to reduce dependence on rainfall and improve agricultural productivity despite changing weather patterns.

He also called for the construction of grain storage facilities, including silos, to preserve harvests during periods of abundance and strengthen the region's resilience against future droughts.

Karamoja Leaders Welcome Swift Government Intervention

The Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Hon. Esther Davina Anyakun, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for the Government's prompt response to the worsening food situation.

She said the decision to utilize government institutions such as NEC in the relief operation demonstrates confidence in national capacity while ensuring quality and accountability.

Anyakun expressed confidence that NEC would successfully execute the assignment and noted that the first consignment of relief food was expected to reach Kaabong District by the end of the day. She described the intervention as a timely lifeline for thousands of vulnerable families facing severe food shortages.

NEC Highlights Self-Reliance in Food Production

Welcoming the Prime Minister to NEC headquarters, the Managing Director of the National Enterprise Corporation, Lt. Gen. James Mugira, reaffirmed the corporation's readiness to implement the Presidential directive with efficiency and military precision.

He explained that NEC serves as the commercial and industrial arm of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and has developed substantial agricultural production capacity capable of supporting national priorities.

Lt. Gen. Mugira revealed that all the relief food being dispatched to Karamoja was produced internally at NEC's five-square-mile farm in Kyankwanzi before being processed at the corporation's grain storage and milling facility in Kigumba.

He said the corporation's integrated production and processing systems enabled it to respond rapidly while maintaining high quality standards.

"We are fully prepared to execute this assignment efficiently and ensure timely delivery of quality food to the people of Karamoja," he said.

The NEC Managing Director was accompanied during the ceremony by the corporation's Deputy Managing Director and the General Manager of NEC Agro Limited.

Coordinated National Response

The relief exercise reflects the Government's broader strategy of utilizing public institutions to respond quickly to national emergencies while promoting efficiency and reducing costs.

The collaboration between the Office of the Prime Minister, NEC and Uganda Prisons Service is expected to ensure the smooth transportation and distribution of food supplies to the affected districts.

As the first trucks departed Bugolobi for Karamoja, government leaders expressed optimism that the intervention would provide immediate relief to thousands of households facing acute food insecurity while longer-term investments in irrigation and food storage are pursued to strengthen the region's resilience against future droughts.