Moroto, Uganda , The persistent drought in the Karamoja region has created a lot of worries among the pastoralists.
The region has for last four months been hit by a dry spell that has dried up several water sources and grass that the pastoralists have been grazing their animals.
John Bosco Apaloris one of the pastoralists in Nakapelimoru Sub County in Kotido district says that the current drought was posing risk to the health of the animals.
He describes the current drought in the region as unfortunate adding that several animals that had grown fat are now growing malnourished due to lack of pasture and water.
According to Apaloris most of the rivers which used to help them water their animals have also all dried up forcing the pastoralists to graze and water their animals in Kobebe dam which could also dry up.
Our cattle were very healthy when pasture and water were there but since the drought started the health of our livestock is threatening due to lack of enough water and pasture,” he said.
John Dengel another pastoralist in Moroto appealed to the government to embark on constructing valley dams that can keep high levels of water even during the dry spell.
“We thank the government for constructing some of the valley dams but most of these valley dams are shallow they dry up very first because they don’t store adequate water that can push the all drought season,” he said.
Francis Kiyonga the LCV Chairperson of Amudat district said the current drought might again cause conflicts among the pastoralists with the neighbouring districts.
“As leaders, we are not sure how to save the livestock because the pastoralists of Amudat, Nakapiripirit and part of Napak always cross with their livestock to the wetland areas of Lokilotor and Bunamutye in the border between Kween and Bunamutye districts but all these wet areas have been converted Chinese investor into rice Scheme,” he said.
Joseph Lomonyang the LCV Chairperson Napak said the current drought is worse compared to the dry spells that Karamoja has experienced in the past.
Ambrose Lotukei the LCV Chairperson of Kotido said the government needs to embark on constructing a multipurpose dam that can help to keep water for animals in Karamoja.
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