CEFROHT Drags Govt To Court Over Lack Of National Food Reserves

BY PATRICK JARAMOGI

KAMPALA, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA| Government has been sued to have in place national food reserves as a mitigation factor to address food security in Uganda.

The Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT), social justice in food and Health body today (Friday) filed a public interest appeal at the High Court in Kampala challenging government’s failure to establish national food reserves in Uganda.

David Kabanda the CEFROHT Executive Director who led the team that filed the suit said many Ugandans are dying of hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no much support coming from the government.

“It is important that the government gives Ugandans guidance on the accessibility of food especially the vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic,” Kabanda told journalists after filing the suit.

Citing article 22 (b) of Uganda’s constitution, counsel Kabanda said the government has a constitutional obligation to establish national food reserves. “This duty helps to guarantee food security, mitigation of hunger and malnutrition, and ensures that everyone enjoys the right to livelihood,” he said.

The COVID 19 pandemic has worsened malnutrition and related deaths in Uganda, according to Kabanda, Food Reserves would have therefore been a critical tool in realising food security especially in times of unforeseen economic hardships or natural calamities like the COVID 19 pandemic.

Ever since the government announced a lockdown on March 20, 2020, food availability and access were gravely disrupted due to lack of source of income to purchase food especially fro vulnerable populations.

“Several businesses closed off and many Ugandans who live on hand-to-mouth basis were left with no source of food and survival,” said Kabanda.

He appreciated government efforts in giving out food to the vulnerable but hastened to add that not everyone benefited. “Majority of the people in Kampala and Wakiso where food was distributed missed out,” he said.

According to Musa Ecweru, the State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, over 1.5 million people in Kampala and another 1 million people received food relief from the government. Parliament passed a supplementary budget of shs59 billion to purchase food to support the vulnerable urban population during the COVID 19 lockdown.

He said once the government sets National Food Reserves, issues of price shoots during such emergencies can be curbed.

“Many families are living on tea, and sleeping on an empty stomach. The fear of dying due to hunger especially among those with chronic diseases, the pregnant women, the elderly, and infants is eminent,” he said.

Kabanda who was optimistic that the filed suit would go a long way in compelling government to set up national food reserves also called for verification of all food distributed to the masses.

He said issues of inhumane food, full of aflatoxins that were distributed to the vulnerable in Kampala and Wakiso must be addressed by ensuring that the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) checks all food and certifies prior to distribution.

“The right to survival and the right to adequate food are fundamental and must be protected, respected and upheld,” he said.

The court is yet to decide on when to set a date for the hearing of the case.