KAMPALA – A section of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have condemned the actions of government officials including those in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) involved in plundering Karamoja relief items such as iron sheets, goats, and maize flour.
A number of government officials including the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija among other top dogs have in recent days been cited in the alleged mismanagement of relief items meant for the people of Karamoja.
A recent inquiry by the Committee on Presidential Affairs showed that Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) also pillaged relief food items meant for the vulnerable people under unclear circumstances.
Mr. Xavier Ejoyi, the ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU) Country Director who to spoke to this publication with a heavy heart urged the government to strongly investigate and prosecute those implicated in the predacious sharing of items whose initial target groups were vulnerable.
“For this case that we have in our hands right now, that we have political heads in that [OPM] office who have been adversely mentioned, some have come out and even conceded that they took iron sheets and goats that were not meant for them is just enough for them to do the decent thing and resign. At a minimum to pave way investigations, set aside,” Mr. Ejoyi said, petitioning President Museveni to prevail over his ministers.
“Your Excellency, the head of state of Uganda, you appointed the cabinet in full including the Office of the Prime Minister and all ministers of state in that officer. Now we have this case of a scandal that is involving iron sheets and goats for vulnerable people in Karamoja and it is very disturbing for ordinary citizens to see what is unfolding in that office. [Mr. President] this is an appeal to you that while the agencies of the state are scampering to investigate and so on, these officials are your officials [and] they report to you. We request you to see the level at which their actions have pitted not only them but the government that you lead against the venerable citizens of this country.”
“It is my appeal to you, to consider asking these people that have been named to step aside pending independent fair, and just investigation”.
Mr. Ejoyi also implored the President to consider the structure of the Office of the Prime Minister “so that we don’t that office of a senior cabinet official mud in this level of corruption”.
“In my opinion, the office of the Prime Minister is too convoluted and too conflicted to even play its mandate of playing its oversight to others government ministries, departments, and agencies.” As citizens of this country, we deserve better as citizens from that office.”
The OPM is charged with the coordination of government ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure the effective delivery of services to the people of Uganda.
President Museveni who is understandably irked and jittery at the callous and shameless looting of iron sheets meant to benefit the poorest people in Uganda his trusted anti-graft SH-ACU together with the IGG as well as the CID boss, to leave no stone unturned in investigating and pinning the culprits at the centre of the iron sheets scandal.
Details from the OPM indicate that during the financial year 2021/2022, the department of Karamoja Affairs obtained a supplementary budget to support the Peace and Disarmament exercise in the sub-region, and part of the budget were spent to procure iron sheets.
More than 95,000 iron sheets were procured out of which, 25,514 were released and 71,144 remained in the store.
Opposition MPs including Mityana Woman representative Joyce Bagala, Wakiso Woman MP Betty Naluyima, and Mukono North’s Abdallah Kiwanuka last week asked President Yoweri Museveni to sack all the ministers involved in the scandal.
They also asked that Minister Kitutu steps aside as investigations into the matter continue. Bagala said that the Opposition plans to join MPs from the Karamoja sub-region who seek to censure the minister if she does not step aside.
The Shadow Minister for Information and Anti-Corruption on Friday emphasized the need for government to exhibit the will of fighting corruption by relieving the ministers of their duties immediately.
She also appealed that the ministers are tried under the Anti-Corruption Act for loss of property and abuse of office.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Olive Kamya has since taken up the investigation and the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, who was initially also mentioned among the beneficiaries, directed the Presidential Affairs Committee to carry out an inquiry into the matter and report back in one month.
Karamoja sub-region has in the past years suffered ravages of insecurity and famine that has claimed lives. The humanitarian crisis in Karamoja has led to the displacement of families from their homes to neighbouring districts.
