Henry Okello Oryem’s recent comments have been widely criticized as insensitive. In 2022, over 2,200 people in north-east Uganda succumbed to starvation and related illnesses, according to an official human rights report.However, Mr. Oryem contended that, given Uganda’s favorable climate and fertile land, individuals should be capable of cultivating their own food. The state minister for foreign affairs stated on NTV Uganda, “It’s only an idiot, a real idiot, that can die of hunger in Uganda.”He emphasized the importance of hard work and agricultural efforts, suggesting that with available land and suitable climate conditions, obtaining food should not be a challenge.The report by the Uganda Human Rights Commission, established by the constitution, revealed that aside from the significant loss of life, the food shortage left nearly half a million people in the north-east facing “acute hunger.”Mr. Oryem’s remarks have sparked outrage, with Moses Aleper, a legislator for Chekwii county in the affected Karamoja region, deeming them “not right” and “unfortunate.” Aleper highlighted the impact of weather vagaries and external factors, beyond human control, contributing to hunger in the region.Prominent Ugandan author and journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo criticized Oryem, stating that the minister failed to recognize that hunger in Uganda is fundamentally a distribution and market problem. While official data on the current food situation in Karamoja is unavailable, the region typically faces hunger during dry seasons due to its semi-arid climatic conditions.
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