Sam Engola

It was a profound honor on Saturday to host the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, my sister @R_Nabbanja , who ably represented His Excellency President @KagutaMuseveni at my thanksgiving prayer held at Olilo Primary School in Itek Sub-county, Lira District. ​This day marks a deeply special milestone in my life. It has given us the joy to celebrate the hard work, resilience, and immense trust exhibited by the people of Erute South constituency, who voted overwhelmingly for me to represent them for the next five years of service. Without their dedication and unwavering spirit of Ubuntu, it would not have been possible for the President to consider me for appointment to the Cabinet as the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees. In all of this, my family and I give ultimate glory to God for His abundant blessings. ​I remain firmly committed to selfless service, ensuring that Erute South, Lira District, Lango, and Uganda at large receive the transformation and services they truly deserve from the government. Key to my agenda is championing the cattle restocking program, improving the road network, expanding electricity coverage for both rural and urban centers, uplifting educational performance, enhancing healthcare delivery, and driving other critical government programs aimed at eradicating poverty. ​Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to H.E. President @KagutaMuseveni and the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister @R_Nabbanja for honoring our invitation. My gratitude also goes to Won Nyaci me Lango HRH Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune, my fellow Cabinet Ministers, the NRM Vice Chairman for Northern Uganda Hon. @HamsonObua , Members of Parliament, former national leaders, foreign serving officers, elected leaders, business community, partners, all dignitaries in your respective capacities, and the voters of Erute South. ​Your presence truly graced the occasion. Thank you, and may God bless you all.

On behalf of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda @R_Nabbanja, I chaired a meeting that brought together members of the Karamoja Development Partners' Group to receive a report (as of March 2026) on the acute food insecurity, malnutrition, and health situations in the Karamoja sub-region, which, to some, is turning out to be catastrophic and requires an urgent response plan and interventions. ​It is disturbing to note that 122,064 children (6–59 months) are acutely malnourished: 30,600 are severely malnourished, and 91,480 are facing moderate acute malnutrition in Karamoja districts. This situation is worsening because most of the garden crops have failed as a result of the prolonged dry spells affecting both cereals and legumes. ​The report, among other things, highlights that 67 percent of households and 32 percent of the Karamoja population are severely affected by food insecurity. ​As government, we have made progress to save the situation in Karamoja by providing tons of food relief procured using the UGX 45B directed by President @KagutaMuseveni with distribution expected to begin by Saturday this week, making life-saving interventions, improving water coverage, conducting mass nutrition screening for all children, running integrated community outreach programs, and providing therapeutic foods (UNICEF), among others. ​I requested all members of the Karamoja Development Partners' Group that this is the time to take action by donating relief and humanitarian support to the affected populations.

This morning, I had a very good discussion with the Mayor of Gulu City, His Worship @PaLabeja to reflect on our journey as long-term colleagues and explored ways to work together for greater productivity and development. I was deeply impressed by his humility, vision, and the energy he brings. He's decent, focused and a young leader who is clearly destined to bring positive change to the community. We look forward to a continued partnership that will benefit our communities and nation.

We held a familiarization engagement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at my office, where they congratulated me upon my appointment as minister. ​During the meeting, they briefed me on IOM Uganda's ongoing work in refugee management. Mr. Sanusi Tejan Savage, the IOM Chief of Mission, promised continued support to the government in managing refugees and assisting victims of floods, drought, landslides, and climate-related hazards. He also highlighted the response to the current famine in Karamoja and parts of Northern Uganda, alongside the urgent need to scale up preparations for the forecasted El Niño. ​The team shared with me the landmark Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment, and Climate Change (KDMECC). Signed in July 2022 in Kampala, the leadership of this declaration will soon be handed over by the Government of Uganda to the Government of Tanzania following a successful tenure. ​IOM pledged to continue providing technical support and rapid response to the Government of Uganda. Additionally, the IOM Head of Programs, Ms. Sarah Carl expressed their strong interest in aiding the government to address the famine in Karamoja and parts of Northern Uganda, in addition to supporting policy development and coordination mechanisms. ​As Minister, I urged them to closely cooperate with the government and other partners in refugee management. This is especially critical now as we focus on the Karamoja situation, aligning our efforts to supplement the food relief support directed by the President @KagutaMuseveni for distribution to the affected populations. ​Finally, I informed the IOM team of the @GovUganda plan to establish a new refugee settlement in Kitgum District to help decongest the existing settlement in Lamwo District.

Pwoc bot lwak me Lango, Adwong lobo @KagutaMuseveni kede @NRMOnline.

Today, on behalf of the Rt. Hon. PM @R_Nabbanja and with Deputy PM @DrCWCBKiyonga, we met development partners on the food situation in Karamoja. We are strengthening the ongoing response and fast-tracking long-term solutions to end food insecurity. We are grateful to all partners for the continued support.

On the 8th July 2026,I had a productive meeting in my office with representatives from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), UNICEF Uganda, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), led by the UNICEF Uganda Country Representative and interim Resident Coordinator, Dr. Robin Nandy, to review the progress of our partnership and map out the next phase of US-OCHA support. We reviewed the implementation of the first tranche (US$75 million) provided through UN agencies and international NGOs to respond to the ongoing critical nutrition crisis among refugees and in the Karamoja districts of Kotido, Kaabong, and Moroto. We also discussed opportunities for collaboration under the upcoming second tranche (US$75 million), which includes a critical 10 per cent allocation dedicated to the Ebola response. We also addressed the severe food insecurity crisis in Karamoja sub region, where we have tragically lost 19 lives recently. This heartbreaking loss is a stark reminder of the utmost urgency of our interventions. I am grateful to Dr. Nandy, UN family, and all our partners for their unwavering commitment to the people of Uganda.

Today, I hosted a team from the @UgandaRedCross, led by the Secretary General, Mr. @robert_kwesiga. ​Our discussions centered on strengthening our collaboration to enhance disaster preparedness, response, and refugee support across Uganda. We explored critical areas, including funding coordination, the localization of humanitarian aid, and the vital role the Red Cross plays in delivering timely, life-saving assistance to vulnerable communities. We also addressed pressing food security concerns and emphasized the need for robust monitoring and accountability mechanisms in our joint humanitarian efforts. ​I commend the @UgandaRedCross for their unwavering commitment to our nation. I look forward to deepening our partnership as we work hand-in-hand to build a more resilient Uganda.

Today, I hosted a courtesy visit from the IGAD Mission to Uganda, led by H.E. Ms. Joselyn Bigirwa. ​We discussed IGAD's vital support for our health, education, agriculture, and water infrastructure sectors. Crucially, IGAD reaffirmed its commitment to our U-MHIEWS system, with implementation scheduled for Oct–Dec 2026. ​With upcoming support for national disaster and preparedness programs, this partnership continues to grow stronger. Thank you, IGAD, for your invaluable collaboration.

Today, I had the honor of presiding over a historic milestone for our nation. At the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe, with our Permanent Secretary, @AlexKakooza_, I launched two game-changing initiatives that will redefine disaster preparedness in Uganda: • ​The Uganda Anticipatory Action Roadmap (2025–2031) • ​The Uganda Multi-Hazard Integrated Early Warning System (U-MHIEWS). ​For too long, our approach to natural disasters has been reactive; responding to crises only after they have already caused devastation. Today, we change the narrative. ​Predict, Prepare, and Protect ​With these two initiatives, @GovUganda is shifting Uganda’s national strategy toward forecast-based, proactive action: • ​U-MHIEWS is our new national, automated, open-source early warning system. It leverages data to help us predict environmental hazards before they strike, giving us the vital window needed to prepare. • ​The Anticipatory Action Roadmap embeds this predictive approach directly into our national policy framework. This ensures that resources and funding are deployed early, saving lives and protecting the livelihoods of our most vulnerable citizens before a disaster can disrupt them.

I met with the dedicated team from the Department of Refugees at our Kampala office today @OPMUganda. Our discussions were highly productive, focusing on our operational successes, underlying challenges, and a strategic roadmap for the future. I am inspired by the team's commitment and resilience as we collectively work to enhance Uganda's globally recognized refugee response.

The new Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. @SamEngola3, this morning met with staff in the Department of Refugees as part of his efforts to familiarise himself with the work within his docket as he settles into his role. The meeting took place at our office in Kampala. #OPMUganda #RefugeeResponse

On Monday, President @KagutaMuseveni chaired the first Cabinet meeting, marking the official commencement of the @NRMOnline five-year strategic development plan. President @KagutaMuseveni emphasized key @GovUganda priorities, leadership principles, public service ethics, and the strategic direction of the new administration. As leaders, it is our fundamental duty to serve our people wholeheartedly and remain responsive to their demands in order to ensure effective service delivery. We must firmly commit to serving the public, fighting corruption, and embracing the President's wealth creation crusade to uplift the socio-economic development of all citizens.

I paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. @henrymusasizi1, to discuss critical areas of socio-economic development and strategic investment. Reaffirming the President @KagutaMuseveni's call to action that this term is a period of relentless work, we are fully committed to accelerating service delivery. Our primary focus remains ensuring that @GovUganda effectively meets the needs and expectations of all citizens without delay.

Today, I met with the @WorldBankGroup East Africa team & Uganda Director. We discussed preparations for key projects under the Group's grants to us. I am encouraged by our shared commitment to channeling these resources into disaster management. Min @LillianAber also attended

Alongside Comm. for Refugees Patrick Okello, I met with the Japanese Amb. H.E. Takuya Sasayama. We discussed Japan’s continued support towards refugee response and development initiatives. Amb. Sasayama commended Uganda’s leadership in hosting the largest refugee populations.

Productive meeting today with U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Mikael Cleverley at the @USEmbassyUganda. We discussed strengthening the Uganda-U.S. partnership on refugee programs. They reaffirmed its support, commending Uganda’s progressive approach to hosting refugees.

I welcomed the Ag. @UNHCRuganda Country Representative Jason Hepps & team. We discussed strengthening partnerships to sustainable solutions for refugees and host communities on education, health, water, infrastructure, and livelihoods. ​Thank you, UNHCR, for continued support