The Karamoja leaders have asked President Yoweri Museveni to elevate the area to regional status to foster the development and transformation of the communities.
The leaders made the plea to the Head of State today Saturday, during an extraordinary joint council meeting which convened at Moroto Boma grounds in honour of the Hon. Aleper Simon Peter, who until his death was the Karamoja Representative on the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC).
The council presided over by the Moroto district Speaker, Akol Ceaser, passed a motion seeking the government to give Karamoja a region level, urging that the area has a special historical challenge which requires special attention
“This is the best way the government can reward Hon. Aleper who on all platforms advocated for the elevation of this sub-region into a region due to its high poverty levels, low levels of education, poor infrastructure among needs,” the council members said one after another amidst thousands of mourners, friends and family of the deceased.
The second resolution asked the government to restore the Karamoja Development Agency (KDA), a fund that was previously was set aside to empower the people of the areas through sponsoring children to school, and donations for production among other activities.
“Aleper spearheaded the restoration, and operationalization of these funds for the benefit of his community. This is how Karamoja will develop at the same pace as the rest of Uganda,” the council said.
The leaders also requested the President to build a Technical Institute in memory of the fallen gallant son who tirelessly worked to uplift the people he led.
“Our young people require skills to work in the mushrooming factories in our areas,” leaders said.
“Karamoja is a place of extremes, it has extreme poverty yet it is endowed with extreme resources, our plea is to work with the government to ensure there is an investment and proper use of the resources for the good of our people,” Norman Achero, the Labwor MP said.
The leaders praised the late Aleper as a person who was passionate about the transformation of his area. “We must emulate his spirit of fighting for justice and equality of all regardless of class.
The former Moroto Municipality legislator will be buried on Tuesday at his ancestral home in Napak district.
The joint regional council was attended by Members of the NRM CEC, Area MPs, RDCs, and district Chairmen among others.
