Karamoja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The biting poverty in Karamoja region has compelled the beneficiaries of the improved housing project under the Office of the Prime Minister in Karamoja to rent out the houses allocated to them to earn a living.
The families have now returned to the traditional grass-thatched houses known as Manyatta renting out the modern houses to the district civil servants. The tenants pay a monthly rent of 100,000 Shillings.
In 2010, the office of the First Lady Ms Janet Museveni, then the minister for Karamoja affairs constructed over 70 modern houses in Moroto and Nakapiripirit districts and handed over to the selected Karimojong families. The idea was to phase out the grass thatched houses and improve the lifestyles of the Karimojong.
But Joyce Nakiru, one of the beneficiaries of the houses said she found it had to hard to sleep in a nicely built house with an empty stomach. She said she now gets 100,000 Shillings per month from the house from which she spends 50,000 on food, 20,000 Shillings on medical expense and saves 30,000 Shillings.
“I am not ashamed to rent out my houses given to me by government and go back to my traditional thatched house as long as I get money every month that can help me to feed my children, “she said.
Mary Lokol, another beneficiary said apart from feeding her family, the money she gets every month will help her to get more iron sheets and put up semi-permanent houses which more people will rent. The expressed gratitude to OPM for initiating the project of constructing them modern houses which to her is miraculous care.
Moroto Resident District Commissioner Hellen Pulkol said the idea is not bad provided that they will use the money in the right way that will make them prosper. However, she warned them against selling off the houses.
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