Kotido district authorities say at least 15 people have died from suspected hunger-related illnesses following a prolonged drought that destroyed crops and left thousands of households facing acute food shortages. Offic…
The story
Officials say the deaths have been recorded since June in several sub-counties, including Napumpum, Longaroe, Maru and Rengen, as the food crisis deepens across the district.
Kotido district has a population of about 219,700 people, with authorities estimating that more than 45,600 households have been severely affected by the prolonged dry spell.
Details
“The figures are alarming, and this calls for urgent action to address and fight the hunger crisis,” Oyuku said.
He urged local leaders, development partners and communities to adopt better food storage practices, noting that many households sell most of their harvest immediately after the growing season, leaving them vulnerable when crops fail.
According to Oyuku, the district has recorded relatively good harvests in recent years, but many farmers sold their produce on the assumption that government or humanitarian agencies would provide relief whenever food shortages arose.
“The mindset must change. Communities should keep food reserves instead of selling everything and relying on well-wishers during periods of hunger,” he said.
District chairperson Paul Lote Komol described the situation as a humanitarian emergency that has crippled livelihoods across the district and appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to urgently provide food assistance before more lives are lost.
“The communities can no longer fend for themselves and deaths linked to hunger have already started emerging. We appeal to the Office of the Prime Minister to intervene before the situation gets out of hand,” Lote said.
Why it matters
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