Uganda: Children’s Parliament calls for end to hunger, malnutrition

 

The second National Children’s Parliament has proposed agricultural development and sensitisation as a strategy to address the hunger and malnutrition crisis in the country.  

The Children’s Parliament sat on Friday, 26 July 2024, at Parliament House under the theme “A call to end child hunger and malnutrition,” where Ms Catherine Nanono was elected Speaker.

During the session, a motion on ending hunger and malnutrition was debated, with many speakers calling for policy reforms, sensitisation, and development to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. 

Ms Gift Oliver Acheng, a pupil who represented Abim constituency, said poverty and ignorance are the leading causes of malnutrition and hunger. 

She highlighted farmers’ plight in Abim, where she said they invest substantially in crop farming, but sell their harvest on the cheap.

“How can a farmer grow crops and sell them at cheap prices? That has made farmers reluctant to grow crops, and this leads to child hunger,” she said.

AUDIO: Acheng

Ms Acheng said cattle rustlers who reign terror in the region, endangering farmers and driving them out of agriculture contribute to hunger and malnutrition.

She offered heightened security deployments to eradicate the insecurity challenge. 

“We call for the deployment of more soldiers to protect farmers in the Karamoja region,” she added.

Ms Patricia Namukwaya, a pupil from Lohana Academy, stated that in and around Kampala, there is growing consumption of fast foods compared to organic foods, worsening the malnutrition problem.  

She urged parents to choose organic and healthy alternatives.

“I want to please my child, so I take them to buy junk foods, and yet these foods are harmful. I send this call to all parents to stop giving children food that is not good for their health,” she said.

From Kamwenge, Ms Mary Kemigisa from Trinity Primary School said granaries in the villages are ceasing to exist, and with this cultural change comes hunger and malnutrition. 

“Modernisation came, and people no longer use granaries, yet they need them to store food. Our parents need sensitisation on this,” she said. 

AUDIO: Kemigisa

The school feeding programme, she said, needs enhancement, noting that her district of Kamwenge has high rates of stunted children.

Ms Malicom Hayat, from Yumbe Primary School, stated that in her district, drug and alcohol abuse greatly contributes to hunger and malnutrition. She said that most men spend their money on drugs and alcohol.

Deputy Speaker Hon Thomas Tayebwa, who presided at the function, emphasised the critical need to tackle drunkenness as a pervasive obstacle to achieving food security at the household level.

“You have a woman at home whose husband is a drunkard, but she knows that this plantation is where we shall squeeze to get school fees for the children. And you see a man comes with a book to her saying your husband signed off the whole plantation; he was eating pork and goat’s meat,” he said. 

Tayebwa highlighted that excessive alcohol consumption among men in villages leads to the sale of food meant for their families, resulting in hunger and malnutrition. He encouraged legislators to expedite the Food and Nutrition Bill, considering it a crucial solution to addressing hunger and malnutrition.

AUDIO: Hon. Tayebwa

The Minister of State for Youths and Children’s Affairs, Hon Balaam Barugahara, said he would listen to the voice of the children to inform his policy decisions, noting that despite efforts from the government, the statistics on hunger and malnutrition are still alarming.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.