Citizenship, Resistance and Animals: Karamoja Region Pastoralists' Resilience against State Violence in Uganda

Universal equality is achieved through citizenship. Despite this normative definition, the reality of citizenship differs across space and time. Against the backdrop of the decentring of state power in the wake of globalisation, when Western scrutiny focused on the peripheries of Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan, and when integrated disarmament and sedentarisation policies were promoted, pastoralists in the Karamoja region of Uganda, rather than appealing to normative notions of citizenship, initiated their own practice of citizenship in resistance to and articulation with the state order. Aware that direct confrontation with power immobilises a one-sided violence perpetration/victimisation relationship, pastoralists developed a repertoire of citizenship-related practices, including animals as co-citizens, to obtain recognition for continued nomadic pastoralism.

Exploratory assessment of challenges and issues with private water operators in rural water supply and service delivery: a case study of the Karamoja region, Uganda

This exploratory assessment was conducted in the Karamoja region of North Eastern Uganda. The aim was to analyse the contextual shortfalls that undermine the effectiveness and sustainability of private operators (PO) in water supply. POs had limited capacity to manage affairs of the water supply systems (WSS). Specifically, their skills were lacking to manage the electromechanical components of the systems, meter reading, and they exhibited poor customer care skills. Intermittent power supplies rendered the WSS unreliable. Solar systems were reported to have erratic frequencies and output which also ultimately resulted in inconsistent water supply. However, the POs hardly pursued corrective measures. The weak enforcement of regulatory policies propagated non-uniformity in tariff implementation approaches across districts contributing to lower willingness to pay. The POs’ focus on profits presents a unique challenge as POs attempt to minimise energy expenses in a bid to widen profit margins. We conclude that the limited technical and managerial capacity of POs in running water supply systems is a critical cause of unsatisfactory service delivery to water users. Finally, the weak water governance and regulatory policy enforcement and the non-adherence to water tariff plans not only affect PO economies of scale but also hamper efficient service delivery.

Predicted land use and land cover outlook for semi-arid Lokere and Lokok catchments in Karamoja region, Uganda

The semi-arid Lokere and Lokok catchments in northeastern Uganda are experiencing land use and land cover (LULC) change driven by policies and actions aimed at pastoralist sedentarisation. While these efforts present a trajectory of a landscape dominated by farming, livestock herding or grazing persists. The objective of this study was to project medium, and long-term LULC for Lokere and Lokok catchments in Karamoja, Uganda. We applied automatic multi-perceptron neural network, built on Markov chain modeling method, along with multi-criteria evaluation strategies; all embedded in the IDRISI Land Change Modeler (LCM) to project the catchments’ LULC to the year 2030 and 2050. The model was trained using 1994 and 2003 LULC, and validated with 2013 LULC. Results of three modelled policy scenarios; business as usual (BAU), pro-livestock and pro-farming; to the years 2030 and 2050 showed that small scale farming (SSF) would increase in all scenarios, even if policy shifts to promote livestock rearing. Pro-farming policies would, in both 2030 and 2050, result in reduction of grassland as SSF increases; doubling the 2003 land area by 2050. The results of this study facilitate assessment of potential impacts of the future LULC and policy evaluation in the catchments.

Capacity assessment for provision of quality sexual reproductive health and HIV-integrated services in Karamoja, Uganda

Introduction: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are crucial global health issues. Uganda continues to sustain a huge burden of HIV and AIDS. Methods: A cross-sectional health facility-based assessment was performed in November and December 2016 in Karamoja Region, northern Uganda. All the 126 health facilities (HFs) in Karamoja, including 5 hospitals and 121 Health Centers (HCs), covering 51 sub-counties of the 7 districts were assessed. We assessed the capacity of a) leadership and governance, b) human resource, c) service delivery, d) SRH and HIV service integration and e) users satisfaction and perceptions. Results: 64% of the established health staffing positions were filled leaving an absolute gap of 704 units in terms of human resources. As for service delivery capacity, on 5 domains assessed, the best performing was basic hygiene and safety measures in which 33% HCs scored “excellent”, followed by the presence of basic equipment. The level of integration of SRH/HIV services was 55.56%. Conclusion: HFs in Karamoja have capacity gaps in a number of health system building blocks. Many of these gaps can be addressed through improved planning. To invest in improvements for these services would have a great gain for Uganda. Keywords: Quality Sexual Reproductive Health; HIV-Integrated Services; Karamoja, Uganda.

High level of resistance in Anopheles arabiensis mosquito to pyrethroid insecticides from low malaria transmission zone of Moroto district, Karamoja region, Uganda: Implication for malaria vector control

Background: Karamoja region of Uganda previously classified as low malaria transmission zone is currently experiencing significant upsurge of malaria incidences. Long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) impregnated with pyrethroids constitute a major tool for malaria control in this region. Efficacy of this tool can be hampered by resistance to the pyrethroids in the Anopheles mosquito vectors. Resistance status of these mosquitoes in this region is poorly understood, effectively hampering better understanding of the impact of LLINs in the malaria control initiative. Here, we assessed susceptibility of the Anopheles arabiensis from the region to deltamethrin, permethrin (pyrethroids) and pirirmiphos-methyl (organophosphate) insecticides.Method: We collected anopheline mosquito larvae from their natural habitats and reared them to adult emergence in situ field insectary in Karamoja region. We then identified them morphological to species level and exposed 513 emerge adult female An gambiae s.l., mosquitoes to diagnostic dosages of deltamethrin (0.05%), permethrin (0.75%) and pirimiphos-methyl (0.25%) pyrethroids exposure using the standard WHO insecticide susceptibility test assay. Synergic assays using piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were done to check for the involvement of detoxification enzymes in pyrethroid resistant populations. We then screened for knockdown resistance (KDR) and mosquito species diversity using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).Results: Majority (96%) of the mosquitoes we sampled were identified as An. arabiensis and 4% as An. gambiae sensu stricto. We observed cross-resistance to both deltamethrin (11.9%) and permethrin (47%) but susceptibility (100% mortality) to pirimiphos-methyl in An. arabiensis. The pre-exposure to PBO ameliorated the resistance to both pyrethroids. We detected homozygous KDR -eastern variant in 1.8 and 50% of the An. arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. respectively.Conclusion: Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. are the malaria vector in Karamoja region with An. arabiensis predominating. Both species are susceptible to pirimiphos-methyl but resistant to both deltamethrin and permethrin, through a metabolic process (phenotype). Mosquotoes with genetic (kdr) mutations for resistance were minimal and hence have minimal contribution to the pyrethroid resistance profile. An. arabiensis can thus be controled in Karamoja region using deltamethrin and/or permethrin impregnated mosquito nets integrated with PBO and/or through indoor residual spraying of sprayable human dwellings with pirimiphos-methyl.

Social Capital’s Role in Humanitarian Crises

The growing scale and persistence of humanitarian crises constitute a critical problem for nation-states, aid organizations and crisis-affected people. Many humanitarian responders continue to focus on material aid, providing essential supplies and services during these crises, while other actors restore physical infrastructures. We believe aid efforts are overlooking the pivotal nature of horizontal and vertical ties within and between communities. Using qualitative and quantitative data from Uganda and Nigeria, we show how social capital matters even during the most severe crises. Our interviews and regression analyses of survey data show that deeper reservoirs of bridging social capital associate significantly with the preparedness of individuals displaced by violence in Nigeria, and that bonding and linking social capital correlates with greater resilience for people stressed by food insecurity in Uganda’s Karamoja region. Some concrete policy recommendations emerge for aid agencies and decision-makers that can invest in rebuilding social infrastructure in affected populations.

High level of resistance in the mosquito Anopheles arabiensis to pyrethroid insecticides from low malaria transmission zone of Moroto district, Karamoja region, Uganda: Implication for malaria vector control

Background Karamoja region of Uganda previously classified as low malaria transmission zone is currently experiencing significant upsurge of malaria incidences. Long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) impregnated with pyrethroids constitute a major tool for malaria control in this region. Efficacy of this tool can be hampered by resistance to the pyrethroids in the Anopheles mosquito vectors. Resistance status of these mosquitoes in this region is poorly understood, effectively hampering better understanding of the impact of LLINs in the malaria control initiative. Here, we assessed susceptibility of the Anopheles arabiensis from the region to deltamethrin, permethrin (pyrethroids) and pirirmiphos-methyl (organophosphate) insecticides. Method We collected anopheline mosquito larvae from their natural habitats and reared them to adult emergence in situ field insectary in Karamoja region. We then identified them morphological to species level and exposed 513 emerge adult female An gambiae s.l., mosquitoes to diagnostic dosages of deltamethrin (0.05%), permethrin (0.75%) and pirimiphos-methyl (0.25%) pyrethroids exposure using the standard WHO insecticide susceptibility test assay. Synergic assays using piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were done to check for the involvement of detoxification enzymes in pyrethroid resistant populations. We then screened for knockdown resistance (KDR) and mosquito species diversity using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results Majority (96%) of the mosquitoes we sampled were identified as An. arabiensis and 4% as An. gambiae sensu stricto . We observed cross-resistance to both deltamethrin (11.9%) and permethrin (47%) but susceptibility (100% mortality) to pirimiphos-methyl in An. arabiensis . The pre-exposure to PBO ameliorated the resistance to both pyrethroids. We detected homozygous KDR -eastern variant in 1.8 and 50% of the An. arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. respectively. Conclusion Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. are the malaria vector in Karamoja region with An. arabiensis predominating. Both species are susceptible to pirimiphos-methyl but resistant to both deltamethrin and permethrin, through a metabolic process (phenotype). Mosquotoes with genetic (kdr) mutations for resistance were minimal and hence have minimal contribution to the pyrethroid resistance profile. An. arabiensis can thus be controled in Karamoja region using deltamethrin and/or permethrin impregnated mosquito nets integrated with PBO and/or through indoor residual spraying of sprayable human dwellings with pirimiphos-methyl.

Resilience to Climate Change in Uganda

In Uganda, the Karamojong Pastoralist and Batwa forest pygmy communities are disproportionately affected by the increasing frequency and magnitude of climate change impacts. Though these communities have long-standing traditional systems to adapt to a changing climate, policymakers and researchers often disregard the adaptations. Programs in the Karamoja region aim to make pastoralism more resilient to climate change, but most ignore pastoralism’s resilience to climate variability and instead focus on changing livestock systems, reducing livestock numbers, adopting crop growing, and diversifying to other economic activities. On the other hand, Batwa forest pygmies have long adapted to climate change in tropical forests by integrating their health systems to the ecosystem. This chapter maps out the policy implications of resilience building in poor communities marginalized by public policy. Gaps, constraints, and opportunities are discussed, in addition to lessons from existing community adaptations that build resilience to climate change.