Summary:
- Outcry intensifies against Ugandan Minister Oryem for insensitive remarks, contrasting with reports of thousands succumbing to starvation.
- The deepening crisis in Karamoja prompts public scrutiny over the government’s handling of acute famine-related issues, fueled by widespread outrage.
Jan 24, 2024 — A storm of outrage erupts as Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister, Henry Okello Oryem, dismisses those succumbing to hunger as “idiots,” provoking public fury amidst reports of 2,000 starvation-related deaths in Karamoja Sub-division in 2023 and an additional 900 in 2024. The crisis deepens, laying bare a landscape of state failure, insecurity, and contributing challenges.
In a televised interview with NTV Uganda on January 24, 2024, Minister Henry Okello Oryem sparked a firestorm of criticism by deeming those facing hunger in Uganda as “idiots.” Asserting, “Only an idiot, a real idiot can die of hunger in Uganda. Those are idiots because there is enough food in Uganda,” Oryem’s comments clash starkly with the stark reality of 2,000 starvation-related deaths in Karamoja in 2023, a figure that surged by an additional 900 in 2024.
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Swift and heated reactions followed Oryem’s insensitive remarks:
Elijah Wasike questions, “Won’t change my question. Why is that dude speaking arrogantly & talking mindlessly?”
Martin Ntandayarwe offers a contrasting perspective, stating, “I somehow want to agree with the hon minister, because honestly why would a person die of hunger in a country like an ug, what would such a person do if he was living in India where cultivation is too hard.”
However, the prevailing sentiment, captured by Adeke Mercy, laments, “See the leaders of this country!!!!!! Indeed Every man for himself and God for us all.”
Critics are quick to highlight Oryem’s privileged background as the son of the late President Tito Lutwa, accusing him of arrogance and insensitivity.
As Karamoja grapples with the escalating crisis, the controversy surrounding Oryem’s remarks underscores a growing demand for accountability and effective intervention to address the profound challenges faced by Ugandans in the region.