Prime
Kitutu refuses to take oath over iron sheets, sent to CID
Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu appears before the Presidential Affairs Committee of Parliament yesterday. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
The Karamoja minister refused to respond to allegations of irregularly sharing iron sheets
A day after police said it has completed inquiries into the multibillion Karamoja iron sheets scandal in which senior government officials have been named, a minister at the centre of the damaging affair yesterday refused to answer MPs’ questions under oath.
Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu was subsequently handed over to police Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) officers to record a statement even as a parallel ongoing inquiry by the House committee on Presidential Affairs gathered pace.
Separately, the committee’s chair, Ms Jesca Ababiku last evening told Daily Monitor that their planned meeting with Speaker Anita Among was called off and will be rescheduled.
Ms Among, Vice President Jessica Alupo, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, 22 ministers, 31 MPs and 13 district chief administrative officers have been implicated. They could be dragged to court depending on how the Directorate of Public Prosecutions interprets the police findings.
“Today the Speaker was engaged with visitors so we shall re-organise our programme and see when to interface with other beneficiaries,” she said.
Weeks ago, Ms Among, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, bought 500 iron sheets to be returned to the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Karamoja minister refused to respond to allegations that she irregularly shared with her colleagues thousands of iron sheets meant to help resettle Karimojong warriors (Karachuna) as part of the government’s efforts to improve livelihoods alongside its disarmament programme in the troubled Karamoja sub-region.
She had failed to honour two earlier invitations to appear before the committee last week.
Wearing a face mask, the minister was cagey in her responses. And tersely said she did not honour the first invite because she was sick and in the second case, she was out of town and did not see the invitation sent through WhatsApp in time.
When Ms Ababiku asked about her relatives’ involvement in the saga, Ms Kitutu simply responded: “I don’t know and don’t have the information.”
There are allegations that her mother, brother and nephew were arrested for diverting the iron sheets.
Ms Kitutu also declined to comment about recent claims by implicated ministers that they received iron sheets unsolicited from her. “I asked the accounting officer and [I am] still waiting for the list,” Ms Kitutu said.
Her short responses irked the legislators who decided that the minister be placed under oath. But she refused to take the oath, emphasising, “I don’t have any answer.”
According to Rule 212 (1) of the House Rules of Procedure, a committee shall have power to cause a witness to be examined under oath.
Witnesses must tell the truth while under oath or else face criminal sanctions.
Ms Kitutu is accused of failing to deliver iron sheets and other relief items meant for Karamoja, some of which she allegedly diverted to non-intended beneficiaries.
Having refused to take oath, Ms Ababiku directed that Kitutu record a statement with Parliament’s CID office.
After Ms Kitutu was escorted out of the afternoon meeting, the committee met some of the alleged non-intended beneficiaries, including the Government Chief Whip Dennis Hamson Obua; Karamoja Affairs junior minister Agnes Nandutu; State minister for Primary Education Joyce Moriku Kaducu; Ethics and Integrity minister Rose Lilly Akello and Lands minister Judith Nabakooba.
The ministers’ appearance comes in light of an October 13, 2022 internal memo written by Kitutu to her under-secretary in which she named senior and junior ministers, and legislators.
Mr Obua, however, stoutly denied that he participated in mismanagement of the iron sheets, maintaining that what he received were donations from the Office of the Prime Minister.
Ms Nandutu said she handed over the 2,000 iron sheets that were given to her to police two weeks ago.
As the committee nears the tail end of its probe which started in February, Ms Ababiku said it was important to hear everyone’s side of the story. “We have to increase our vigilance and give a fair hearing to every person before making our final report,” Ms Ababiku said
The Inspectorate of Government’s spokesperson, Ms Munira Ali, told this publication last month that 22 ministers, 31 Members of Parliament and 13 Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) had explained their position in regard to the iron sheets.
IGG list of beneficiaries
1. Jessica Alupo (Vice President)
2. Anita Among (Speaker of Parliament)
3. Robinah Nabbanja (Prime Minister)
4. Rebecca Kadaga (First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister for East African Affairs)
5. Rukia Isanga Nakadama (Second Deputy Prime Minister/Minister without Portfolio)
6. Matia Kasaija (Finance Minister)
7. Judith Nabakooba (Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development)
8. Mary Kitutu Goretti (Minister for Karamoja Affairs)
9. Dennis Hamson Obua (Government Chief Whip)
10. Rose Lilly Akello (Minister for Ethics and Integrity)
11. Grace Kwiyucwiny (Minister of State for Northern Uganda)
12. Agnes Nandutu (Minister of State for Karamoja)
13. Jennifer Namuyangu (Minsiter of State for Bunyoro
14. Amos Lugoloobi (Minister of State for Finance (Planning)
15. Esther Anyakun (State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness)
16. Alice Kaboyo (State Minister for Luweero/Rwenzori)
17. Grace Mary Mugasa (State Minister for Public Service)
18. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga (State Minister for Agriculture)
19. Moriku Kaducu (State Minister for Primary Education)
20. Henry Musasizi (State Minister for Finance (General Duties)
21. Aisha Sekindi (Minister of State for Water)
22. Fred Byamukama (Minister of State for Transport)
23. Jacob Oboth-Oboth (Minister of State for Defence)
24. Obiga Kania (MP, Terego East County, Terego)
25. Joab Businge (MP, Masindi Municipality)
26. Pius Wakabi (MP, Bugahya County, Hoima District)
27. Stephen Aseera (MP Bugangazi East County)
28. Jennifer Mbabazi (District Woman MP, Kagadi)
29. Akiiki Asiimwe (District Woman MP, Masindi)
30. Kenneth Kiiza (MP Bujenje County, Masindi)
31. Aled Akugizibwe (MP Buruli County Masindi)
32. Jacob Karubanga (MP, Kibanda South, Kiryandongo)
33. Barnabas Tinkasimire (MP, Buyaga West, Kagadi)
34. Harriet Businge (District Woman MP, Hoima)
35. David Karubanga (MP, Kigorobya County, Hoima)
36. Noeline Kisembo (District Woman MP, Kibaale)
37. Josephat Tumwesigye (MP, Bugangazi South Kakumiro)
38. Emely Kugonza (MP, Buyanja East County, Kibaale)
39. Linos Ngompek (MP, Kibanda North, Kiryandongo)
40. Flora Natumanya (District Woman MP, Kikuube)
41. Eric Musana (MP, Buyaga East County, Kagadi)
42. Joseph Ruyonga (MP, Hoima West Division, Hoima City)
43. Hellen Kahunde (District Woman MP, Kiryandongo)
44. Norah Bigirwa (District Woman MP, Buliisa)
45. Aisha Black Agaba (MP, Bugangaizi East)
46. Dr Patrick Isingoma (MP, Hoima East Division)
47. Agnes Kirabo (Youth MP Central Region)
48. Francis Twinomujuni (MP, Buhaguzi County, Kikuube)
49. Julius Maganda (Unclear0
50. Asinansi Nyakato (District Woman MP, Hoima City)
51. Paul Omara (MP, Otuke County)
52. Ruth Mold Lemetia (Unclear)
53. Cissy Namujju (District Woman MP, Lwengo)
