WAVA Monitoring Exposes Service Gaps as Karenga Leaders Commit to Action

By Richard Onapatum

KARENGA, Karamoja — Community monitoring has exposed gaps in health and education services in Karenga District, prompting district leaders to commit to follow up on the incomplete operationalisation of Komolicher Health Centre III, inadequate infrastructure and poor sanitation in schools.

The findings were presented and validated on Monday, October 5, 2026, at Karamoja Pride Hotel in Karenga during a Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) district strategic advocacy meeting convened to address issues requiring high-level intervention.

The engagement also reviewed commitments made by district leaders during previous advocacy engagements and assessed areas requiring further action.

WAVA is implemented by Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA) in the districts of Karenga and Kotido, in partnership with the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), with funding from the Royal Danish Embassy, the Embassies of the Netherlands, Sweden and the Irish in Uganda. The project supports women and communities to participate in accountability processes, monitor public services and advocate for improved service delivery and responsive local governance.

Komenchel health centre remains partly operational

Acting District Health Officer Andrew Rews Ilukol acknowledged that Komolicher Health Centre III is not yet fully functional.

He said a nurse has been enrolled at the facility but only reports periodically, leaving the health centre largely operating through outreach services.

Mr. Ilukol encouraged health workers to strengthen referrals to ensure patients receive appropriate care, while the meeting identified the operationalisation of Komolicher Health Centre III as a key advocacy priority.

Participants also agreed to advocate for the upgrading of Karenga Main Hospital and better utilisation of mobile clinics across Karamoja to improve access to health services, particularly for communities in hard-to-reach areas.

Monitoring exposes school challenges

Monitoring findings presented during the meeting also highlighted challenges at Komolicher Primary School, including alleged theft, land encroachment and poor sanitation.

Participants were told that about three-quarters of the teachers at the school are from outside the local community, while concerns were also raised over inadequate teacher accommodation. One of the school latrines was reportedly already full.

Lotyang Fidelis, the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, urged officials and stakeholders not to view the findings negatively but instead use them to identify areas requiring action.

He called on NARWOA to continue monitoring other government departments and urged district officials and other stakeholders to take ownership of the monitoring process.

Mr. Lotyang also encouraged monitors to examine stores and other facilities during their assessments to help identify gaps that could affect service delivery.

Budget priorities face accountability test

District Planner Marshel Okello presented highlights of the district budget, focusing on education, health, climate action and gender priorities.

Okello called for greater involvement of men in community monitoring and urged participants to concentrate on issues that can be addressed through concrete action.

He also raised concerns about poor sanitation in some public facilities, noting that many facilities have inadequate or poorly maintained toilets.

Okello said the maternity facility at Karenga Health Centre IV is too small and called for better infrastructure, staff accommodation and a salary increase for health workers.

He further advocated for affirmative action for Karamoja and government support for boarding schools to address some of the education challenges affecting the region.

“We all have a role to play. Let us move beyond discussions and continue advocating for our people,” Okello said.

District pledges support for community monitors

NARWOA Project Manager Nyatima Rebecca led the review of commitments previously made by district leaders during earlier advocacy engagements.

District Education Officer Alamo Mercy thanked NARWOA for the monitoring work, saying the findings provided direction on areas requiring attention.

“We hope the actions are taken up,” Mercy said, adding that some district officials would participate in a forthcoming high-level meeting to discuss actions arising from the findings.

She said the district would also support community monitors so that authorities and communities can work together to improve service delivery.

The meeting reaffirmed four key advocacy priorities: operationalising Komolicher Health Centre III, upgrading Karenga Main Hospital, strengthening affirmative action in education and improving the utilisation of mobile clinics.

The LC3 Chairperson of Karenga Sub- County closed the meeting and thanked NARWOA for its continued engagement with communities and district authorities.

The engagement now leaves district authorities and other stakeholders with a clear follow-up task: to translate the identified gaps and commitments into concrete actions, budget decisions and measurable improvements in public service delivery.

Send Us Your Story

If you would like your article or opinion published on The New Light Paper, one of Uganda’s trusted news platforms, send your submission to thenewlightpaper@gmail.com.