Sixteen starve to death in Uganda as drought kills crops

Despair turned to disbelief when the then-foreign minister, Henry Okello Oryem, called those who had died of hunger "idiots", arguing that Uganda had favourable climate and fertile land so people should be able to grow food for themselves.

The Ugandan government says at least 16 people have died from hunger in recent weeks in the north-eastern region of Karamoja due to a prolonged drought.

Uganda's semi-arid north-east has been struck by catastrophic food shortages before.