Uganda’s legislature has passed a motion seeking to declare a state of emergency in the country as hunger continues to batter the East African nation.
The Legislators voted in favour of a motion moved by Kumi Woman Member of Parliament Monica Amoding, stating that Government has failed to handle the situation and people are suffering from hunger. She added that scores of people have already lost lives to famine across the country yet others are surviving on less than a meal a day.
Amoding said the ministry has failed to live to its pledge to feed Ugandans in the districts most affected by hunger between February and April 2017. She adds that even the most affected districts have only received meager portions of food.
At least 10 million Ugandans face food insecurity according to the January 2017 National Food Security Assessment Report. In areas of Teso and Karamoja, residents and leaders are appealing for help as they resort to eating wild plants. In November last year Government announced that 1.3 million Ugandans were in need of food aid.
She said declaring a state of emergency would mean more support for Ugandans affected by hunger.
Declaring a State of Emergency is provided for under Article 110 of the 1995 Constitution. The article stipulates that a State of Emergency can be declared when Uganda is threatened by war or external aggression, when the security or the economic life of the country is threatened by internal insurgency or natural disaster or which render necessary the taking of measures which are required for securing the public safety, the defence of Uganda and the maintenance of public order and supplies and services essential to the life of the community.
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