Uganda cabinet ministers involved in the theft of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable and poor people in the Karamoja sub-region will be probed and prosecuted by three government criminal agencies.
For nearly a month now, Ugandan media has been washed with stories of president Yoweri Museveni’s top executive members accused of stealing and diverting iron sheets meant for Karamoja for personal projects like roofing schools, cattle sheds, and personal rentals.
Museveni directed an expeditious inquiry into allegations of theft of iron sheets and other relief items, that were procured to benefit people in the Karamoja sub-region. It has now emerged that the Criminal Investigations Directorate- CID, and the Directorate of Public Prosecution -DPP have joined the State House Anti-Corruption Unit -SHACU to probe government bigwigs with the sole aim of living no stone unturned.
SHACU was the first anti-corruption agency to prosecute relatives of Karamoja minister, Mary Gorreti Kitutu, who were found vending iron sheets in Namisindwa district. The iron sheets had clear markings that were meant for Karamoja.
It later emerged that Museveni’s Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, and Prime Minister Robina Nabbanja are some of the top executive members who received the iron sheets.
Senior Commissioner of Police -SCP Fred Enanga, has said that DPP using her Constitutional powers has directed CID to work jointly with SHACU to expeditiously conduct a criminal investigation into the matter.
“The task will be handled by a joint team comprised of officers from DPP, CID, and State House Anti-Corruption Unit. The joint team shall expand on the preliminary inquiries so far conducted and further liaise with IGG and Parliament on the same matter,” Enanga said.
CID, DPP, and SHACU have resolved to interact with all the concerned personalities to ensure an expeditious investigation. “The directive further demonstrates the commitment of the Government to fight corruption in our country. More progressive updates will be shared accordingly,” Enanga said.
Karamoja has been infested with cattle rustling in the last two years where a number of people have been killed and animals stolen. The Uganda police and military say 654 cattle rustlers have been killed while more than 21,000 have been arrested and charged.
Museveni thought that donating iron sheets to Karamoja residents would help them build some decent houses as opposed to the current ones that are largely grass thatched and often catch fire.