By Sadiq Masaba
The minister for Karamoja affairs Mary Goreti Kitutu has been challenged to come out and clarify on the iron sheets saga.
The minister is currently still mute even after the Anti Corruption Unit in State House netted her close relatives with properties belonging to government.
The properties included iron sheets and other related assortments which were part of the relief items destined for Karamoja where she’s politically supervising as minister.
According to NRM activists led by John Kazibwe better known as JJ, the president did his job and entrusted Kitutu with authority.
“We can’t blame the appointing authority. He did his work. He gave her responsibility to manage Karamoja affairs. If the Karamojongs were given these items and they ended up in the stores of her relatives, that’s not Museveni to answer. Its the minister to explain and give the necessary clarifications” he said.
He said that like any other Ugandan, the road going to Karamoja is well known but it was shocking to see that the items took a different direction and some of the items were found to have been sold to locals.
“The more she keeps quiet, the more it makes us think she was involved in the theft of these items. Yes, state House arrested some people but you (minister) who’s concerned, you must come out and clarify. This business of officials claiming mafia whenever they are cornered for misconduct must stop” he said.
He said as a region, they are concerned that all female politicians Museveni appoints from Bugisu to full cabinet end up being embroiled in scandals. He said one top female minister was knifed after she was allegedly involved in a scandal worth Shs24bn and now Kitutu has also been implicated.
“If she keeps quiet, it means she knows something. Let her go to media center and clarify. From there, we shall be able to compare notes and make an opinion. I want to warn those people that anything to do with public assets, you will never get away with the case. Even if this government doesn’t handle you, the next government will recover what belonged to Ugandans from you” he warned.
Kitutu is currently swimming in muddy waters after her relatives including mother and brother were arrested by state House over relief items. The items were meant for Karamoja but were allegedly diverted and hidden in the personal stores of the minister’s relatives miles away from Karamoja. To make matters worse, the items were reported to be on sale in the area even as there were big inscriptions on them that read ‘PROPERTY OF GOVERNMENT OF UGANDA. NOT FOR SALE’!
