The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anitah Annet Among has announced that she has already procured the 500 pieces of iron sheets to be returned to the Office of the Prime Minister
In her communication to the house on Wednesday afternoon March 15th 2023, Speaker Anitah Among said she doesn’t want to be accused of grabbing iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja
“Little did i know that the iron sheets were meant for another region, but after thorough analysis, i have taken a personal decision as a leader that since it was not allocated to my district yet there were already given out to Bukedea schools, i have decided to buy 500 iron sheets and give it back to the Office of the Prime Minister. i have sent my personal assistant to take back the iron sheets to OPM as a personal responsibility.” she said
The speaker commended the person who thought of Bukedea although the items where meant for Karamoja, she doesn’t want to be a shame to parliament.
The Chief Whip of the opposition in Parliament Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe on behalf of the Leader of Opposition applauded the speaker for taking responsibility of returning the iron sheets and asked all ministers and government officials under the iron sheets saga to follow suit and pick a leaf from her action.
Other members of Parliament in reaction to the speaker’s communication also commended the speaker for taking responsibility to return the iron sheets she never asked for.
According to media reports, a multi-agency team has already started criminal investigations on the orders of President Museveni into circumstances under which ministers acquired iron sheets meant for beneficiaries in Karamoja sub-region and findings of the investigation, to be done by investigators from police, State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), could lead to the prosecution of culprits.
State House investigators last month uncovered the alleged diversion of the iron sheets and other relief items meant for Karamoja, leading to the arrest of some members of the family of line minister Mary Goretti Kitutu.
A number of Cabinet ministers, among them First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, have publicly acknowledged receiving the roofing materials but said they never asked for them
The Minister for Karamoja Mary Goretti Kitutu last week apologised to Ugandans and the President for lack of good judgment as a result of lack of proper guidance
