PWDs in Kitgum fault gov’t for slow relief food distribution

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  People with disabilities-PWDs in Kitgum district have decried the government’s slow response to their plight during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Thousands of disabled persons within the urban and rural centres in the district are struggling to cope up with the COVID-19 lockdown measures that the government issued in March.

Sylvia Layet 58, a resident of Lemu East Cell in Pager Division says she has been struggling to put food on the table for her five grandchildren for the past weeks.

Layet says she used to earn money by begging from well-wishers and businessmen but notes that ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, several businesses were shut down leaving her vulnerable.

Geoffrey Okwera, another PWD and resident of Pager says although COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, disabled persons have been worst hit and require urgent government attention.

He notes that ever since the lockdown, food relief distribution has not reached PWDs in Kitgum district yet many are starving and unable to farm.

Mary Josephine Aciro who used to vend charcoal, on the other hand, says she has now resorted to eating food or porridge only once a day with her seven children to save the little food she has.

She says unlike vulnerable people who were supported with food relief in Kampala and Wakiso district, the situation is different in Kitgum.

Mathew Omoya, the Kitgum District Council Chairperson for PWDs, however, says the food aid is not timely considering that almost two months have gone by without anyone helping their members.

Omoya appealed to government to consider helping PWDs in northern Uganda because it is a double tragedy for them since they are still recovering from the brunt of the two decades Lord’s Resistance Army Insurgency [LRA].     

The State Minister for Foreign Affairs also the Chua East Legislator Henry Okello Oryem recently said that government had been informed and were making all possible arrangements to ensure relief food is distributed to the vulnerable.

Kitgum District has a total of 16,000 PWDs and about 200 live in the Municipality.

*******

URN