Addressing journalists at the UPC headquarters in Kampala on Wednesday, Akena said partisan politics and personal attacks were diverting attention from a national crisis that is denying millions of Ugandan children the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Akena, who recently disclosed that President Yoweri Museveni had offered him a government position which he declined, said his policy priorities differ significantly from those of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), and added that Uganda cannot achieve meaningful socio-economic transformation while millions of children continue to suffer from preventable malnutrition.
Akena criticised what he described as misplaced national priorities, arguing that political leaders had become preoccupied with partisan battles instead of debating policies capable of improving the welfare of ordinary Ugandans.
“If children are the future of Uganda, why are two million Ugandan children starving while we are busy playing politics?” Akena asked.
Citing national nutrition statistics, Akena said approximately 26 per cent of Ugandan children, about two million, are affected by chronic malnutrition, warning that the consequences extend well beyond childhood.
According to available nutrition data, more than two million Ugandan children are stunted due to chronic undernutrition, while an estimated 428,000 children and 84,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition.
The burden is greatest in the Karamoja sub-region, parts of Tooro, and refugee-hosting districts such as Adjumani and Yumbe’s Bidibidi settlement, where food insecurity, poverty and displacement continue to worsen nutrition outcomes.
The Ministry of Health estimates that about 250,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition at any given time, with Karamoja remaining the worst-affected region. Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), Akena said stunting caused by prolonged undernutrition permanently affects children’s physical growth, brain development, educational attainment and future productivity.
“We are creating a burden for tomorrow’s society. If today’s children cannot reach their educational and productive potential, how do we expect the country to develop?” Akena said. He added that the country must not lose sight of the real issues amid political debates. “I don’t want us to lose the substance. My concern is how I stand before God knowing Ugandan children are starving,” he said.
He urged leaders across the political divide to prioritise investment in healthcare, agriculture, food security and education, saying these sectors would yield greater long-term benefits than continued political confrontation.
Akena also defended his decision to maintain dialogue with President Museveni despite their political differences, insisting that engagement should not be interpreted as political compromise. He said the discussions had enabled him to present policy proposals aimed at strengthening Uganda’s export capacity through improved air cargo infrastructure and cold-chain facilities for agricultural produce.
Uganda has made notable progress in reducing child stunting, from about 45 per cent in the late 1980s to approximately 26 per cent today. However, the number of affected children remains high because of rapid population growth.
The World Health Organisation warns that stunting has lifelong consequences, including impaired cognitive development, poor educational outcomes, reduced productivity and increased susceptibility to disease-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
