A fire sparked by boys hunting wild rats for food left Lonangat Village in Nabilatuk District in ruins on Thursday, displacing hundreds and destroying property worth millions of Ugandan shillings.
The fire broke out at midday when the boys, struggling with the severe hunger crisis in the Karamoja region, set bushes ablaze to flush out rats. Strong winds spread the flames rapidly, engulfing homes, granaries, and crops.
“We saw the fire coming from the bush, and within minutes, it had reached the village,” said Agnes Loli, a resident of Lonangat. “We tried to stop it, but it was too powerful.”
Police and emergency responders were dispatched to contain the inferno, but it had already wreaked havoc by their arrival, said SP Lewis Mugwisagye, the Officer in Charge of Nabilatuk District Police Station.
The fire has left hundreds homeless, with many families now camped along the Moroto-Nakapiripirit road without basic necessities.
“We have nothing left,” lamented Peter Lokol, a father of four who lost his home. “Our children are sleeping in the open. We need clothes, bedding, and food.”
The tragedy highlights the deepening hunger crisis in Karamoja, where extreme food insecurity is driving families to desperate measures. The practice of hunting wild rats reflects the region’s dire struggle for survival.
No humanitarian aid had arrived at the time of reporting, leaving residents without support amid the devastation.
The fire underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions to Karamoja’s hunger crisis and immediate humanitarian intervention to help displaced families rebuild their lives.
