KAMPALA – State Minister for Mineral Development Sarah Opendi Achieng has threatened to resign her ministerial position over alleged witchhunt by some people in government.
This website has established that Achieng is among the ministers locked out of Cabinet meetings over allegations that her husband, Hon. Atkins Katushabe, dodged quarantine after returning from high risk country.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the minister dared anyone to present evidence indicating that she helped her husband skip institutional quarantine after he returned to the country.
“If anyone brings evidence, showing that I appeared at the airport to forcefully pick my husband, I will tender in my resignation,” Minister Opendi said.
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga ordered the committee on Discipline to investigate the matter.
The government put all passengers, who arrived in Uganda from countries with high cases of Coronavirus into institutional quarantine for at least 14 days. But many of the quarantined people escaped with the help of high profile persons or by paying bribes to security agents or other government officials protecting the hotel in Entebbe.
Some people under quarantine alleged that they witnessed indicated of bribery of officials by their colleagues to allow them leave the quarantine.
On March 24, Kadaga ordered three MPs and two members of staff who were in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, recently to stay away from the precincts of the House.
The MPs are Kafeero Ssekitoleko (Nakifuma County), Cissy Namujju (Lwengo Woman) and Sempala Kigozi (Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality). They have been advised to undergo mandatory quarantine.
The matter was raised by Jalia Bintu (Masindi Woman) who demanded that all MPs present for plenary be tested for COVID19 to re-assure the nation. She added that the above mentioned three MPs were in Parliament on Monday that Kigozi is alleged to have had a high temperature.
The Ministry of Health last night confirmed 11 more cases of coronavirus disease-COVID-19, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 44.
