Karimajong members of parliament are disheartened by the newly appointed ministers for Karamoja region, asking the president to explain whether he is punishing them for their huge support to the NRM party. This as the president on Monday this week appointed Eng. John Byagambi minister for Karamoja Affairs and his deputy Moses Kizige .
Addressing journalists at parliament, the MPs including Samson Lokeris from Dodoth east county, Christine Nakwang woman MP for Kaabong district, Fred Angella MP for Moroto municipality, Christopher Kipterit MP for Upe, MP for Pine county Remegio Achia and former MPs like Simon Aleper expressed dissatisfaction that despite voting for him 92% in the concluded general elections, no person from Karamoja was appointed full minister in the new cabinet.
The Member of Parliament for Pine county Remegio Achia together with Karimajong group while at parliament told journalists that they are disappointed over Karimajong missing on cabinet full minister appointments for the last 30 years and wandered why didn’t the president find a worthy Karimajong to replace the first lady for this ministerial post.
The NRM Karimajong vice chairperson Simon Peter Aleper flanked by 10 Karimajong MPs said that the president must give the Karimajong an answer to why he is neglecting them, saying that Karamoja leaders are going to write a protest letter to the president over cabinet appointments. Karamoja MPs said that the Karimajong are tired of being ministers of state and noted that since the NRM government no single Karimajong woman has ever been appointed a minister.
Upe county MP Christopher Kipterit Akorikimoi said people from Karamoja have for long been experiencing poor services like bad roads, schools, in addition to dying due to famine but very little attention is paid for lack of full powers to decide what should be done and since state ministers from the region lack mandate work under their bosses. They vowed not to engage in translating the ministers speeches to Karimajong while in Karamoja region.
Sons of Karimajong Father Simon Lokodo appointed minister of state for Ethics and integrity and Peter Lokeris as the minister of state for mineral development.
In other news Parliament is set to sit and vet the vice president. Parliament will consider the approval of the vice president Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi who has been retained in the new cabinet. This will be the first sitting since the members of parliament for the 10th parliament were sworn in. In this sitting the parliamentary appointment committee will be constituted to pave way for the vetting of 38 new ministers in the cabinet.