Moral Responsibility and Environmental Conservation in Karamoja Mining Area: Towards a Religious Engagement

The consequences of the mining industry in Karamoja region have resulted into a serious environmental hazard to all forms of life in the area. For some reasons, efforts by the Ugandan government to respond to the environmental crisis seem inadequate. Investors in the mining sector and other stakeholders, particularly those who are directly affected, also seem not to be concerned with the dangers associated with the crisis. This situation raises a number of critical moral questions, for example, who is responsible for the degradation of the area? Why are the efforts of the government not yielding any results? Why are the locals who are bearing the brunt of the environmental crisis not showing any concerns? These and many more are the questions the article seeks to answer. Through the lens of the ethical theory of stewardship, the article challenges faith communities – particularly the two major religious groups in the area – Karamajong indigenous religion and Christianity – of the need to respond not only to humanity but also to the natural environment on which their existence depends. The article argues that responding to the environmental crisis should not be solely left to the government but rather is part of the moral and social responsibility of every individual including religious groups, in the area.