Water Management in Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of Karamoja

CHAPTER I 1.0 Introduction, Scarcity of water is a worldwide issue. The international community is worried that severe water shortages may actually ignite wars in the 21st century. Recognition has been made of a growing threat of international, regional, national and inter-ethnic disputes over water supplies. An entity that is becoming of great concern is semi-arid pastoral Africa that is prone to long periods of drought and famine leading to a scramble for common use pastoral resources such as water, pasture and food.’ The UNESCO chief Koichiro Mastsuura noted with concern while discussing at the UN summit, that, “Water supplies are falling while the demand is growing at an unsustainable rate.” The report said that the water crisis is so severe it would take almost 30 years to eradicate hunger. According to the World Water Development Report, the crisis over water is likely to get even worse.2 The UNICEF water, environment and sanitation technical guidelines indicate that the greatest global challenge of the world today is effective fresh water resource management.3 In Uganda for example the issue of water rights has become an explosive one. Conflicts over water are already happening, in particular in the semi-arid Karamoja region that is faced with severe hunger as a result of water shortages.4 In parts of Uganda where water is limited, its distribution has been problematic with conflicts arising due to competing community needs and internal power struggles.