By John Kusolo
Under the Uganda Parliamentary Alliance on Food and Nutrition Security (UPA-FNS), Parliamentarians are playing a crucial role in realizing a healthy population through adequate food and nutrition interventions. Hon. Christine Kaaya Nakimwero, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kiboga District and Secretary General of UPA-FNS, emphasizes the importance of ensuring Ugandans have access to sufficient food and proper nutrition.
In December 2022, Parliament initiated an awareness campaign addressing food insecurity and malnutrition in the country, which is an ongoing effort. Several regions, including Karamoja, West Nile, and Teso, have been severely affected by food shortages and limited access to water, resulting in the loss of lives, particularly among women and children.
Members of Parliament affiliated with UPA-FNS have exerted pressure on the government to provide food relief to the people of Karamoja, and their demands were met with the delivery of food supplies. Moreover, these MPs have urged the government to develop a comprehensive plan to address issues of hunger, malnutrition, and limited access to water. They have called for continuous engagement with district authorities to prioritize food and nutrition in their annual budgets.
In February 2023, during an outreach program supported by Right to Grow, the MPs discovered that Oruka Health Centre III, constructed by The Hunger Project-Uganda, had not been taken over by the government. The MPs engaged the Ministry of Health to approve and assume responsibility for the facility, which was successfully achieved.
Additionally, the MPs approached the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, advocating for an allocation of 4 billion Ugandan shillings for seeds, recognizing the significance of agriculture in ensuring food security and nutrition.
Hon. Christine Kaaya emphasizes that land plays a vital role in food security and nutrition, accounting for 95% of these aspects. Therefore, the Alliance has supported legislation to protect people from land evictions without adequate compensation, as such evictions can hinder peasant households’ access to and utilization of land for food security purposes.
The Uganda Parliamentary Alliance on Food and Nutrition Security (UPA-FNS) has been instrumental in mobilizing MPs to support legislation promoting adequate food and nutrition in the country. They have actively supported bills such as the Fisheries Act of 2022, Public Health Amendment Act of 2022, The Plant Protection and Health Act, The National Advisory Services Act, and The Adulteration of Produce Act.
Hon. Christine Kaaya affirms that the Alliance will continue to support legislation that promotes a healthy population in Uganda, ensuring that food and nutrition-related matters receive the necessary attention and lead to actionable solutions.
UPA-FNS is a nonpartisan Alliance consisting of past and present Members of Parliament from various Parliamentary Fora and Committees. It was established in September 2018 with the aim of addressing food and nutrition security issues in Uganda through legislative representation, appropriation, oversight, and advocacy. The Alliance’s mission is to invest in food security and nutrition-sensitive food systems, aiming to improve access and utilization of safe, diverse, and nutritious local foods as sustainable means to prevent malnutrition and food insecurity in Uganda.