Stop giving handouts to Karimojong - bishop

Moroto. Karamoja Diocese bishop Joseph Abura has appealed to leaders to stop giving handouts to the Karimojong.
Bishop Abura said this would teach the Karimojong to be self-reliant.
The bishop said the Karimojong are not self-reliant and have continued treating themselves as the poorest community in the country, begging all the time yet most of them own hundreds of livestock.
“You find somebody crying of hunger yet he owns more than 80 head of cattle. They don’t want to sell and get money but want to be given free things,” he said.
Bishop Abura was last Thursday speaking during the Health Assembly organised by the Moroto Catholic Diocese at Matany Hospital in Napak District.

Blamed
He added that the begging mentality was promoted by religious leaders in order to catch their attention to the Gospel.
“Since it was the religious leaders who introduced handouts to the Karimojong, it’s our collective responsibility to ensure the begging mentality stops,” Bishop Abura said.
The health assembly was aimed at discussing issues that affect health delivery in Karamoja sub-region.
It was attended by district health officers, chief administrative officers, district chairpersons and Members of Parliament for Napak and Moroto districts.
Ms Stella Namoe, the Woman MP Bokora County in Napak District, said the handouts have caused Karamoja to continue lagging behind in terms of family welfare. She added that sensitisation should be done to make the people self-reliant.