President Museveni is reported to have widened his scope of secret investigation into the alleged theft of iron sheets meant for the underprivileged people of Karamoja subregion.
We can authoritatively confirm that already, the investigation has taken shape and involves even the UPDF 3rd Division which controls that region where the sheets were to be distributed.
“Yes, we’re investigating what really transpired. It’s a multiagency probe which is taking us to the art of this unpatriotic scandal. The report is urgently needed by CiC” says a top inspector privy to the probe details!
Our inspectors told us that Museveni is still buffled as to why the minister for Karamoja could have become so insensitive to the situation in Karamoja yet government is struggling to transform it.
“Mama Janet was there as Karamoja minister and such things never happened. How come now? She did a lot for that region and laid the foundation for the area to takeoff” says a top inspector.
According to Inspectors, Museveni is furious that while other governmnents failed to transform that region, he has tried and sees whoever tries to play around with his programs as a saboteur.
“Karamoja has always been an elusive area for governmnent. The question of Karamoja is so fundamental to national cohesion, that it can’t be broken down in who (among ministers) shared what. This governmnent created a whole ministry for disaster preparedness to enable governmnent equip itself on any disaster allover the country. Karamoja is a totally different issue because, here we’re talking about transformation. The ministry for karamoja was therefore given a special budget to deliver items and not related to disaster” explained an Inspector.
Our Inspectors said whereas there are reports that the sheets were shared among some ministers and MPs, the president according to investigation wants to know what exactly was given to karamoja and whether it reached.
“It’s not a question of who got what but was karamoja’s allocation adhered to because the decision was based on its merit and reasons” says an Inspector.
In the brief we have ably got in respect of the sheets, the CiC has reportedly set out a number of questions which his investigators must dig out and furnish him with reports on the matter. Hereunder, are the questions being investigated by the multiagency spies.
- Is it true the sheets left stores, and who were the drivers of those trucks that took the sheets?
- The trucks used to transport the items and their number plates?
- When did the trucks leave OPM stores?
- Who authorized those trucks and the merchandise they carried?
- What did the officer in charge at OPM authorise and for what?
- Which particular area were the trucks going and the destination?
- What were they carrying and of what quantity?
- Who fuelled the trucks? Was the fuel given going up to karamoja or Mbale/Manafwa? This is because they two destinations have different mileage and therefore, fuel consumption.
- Who received in Moroto, how many did he receive, when and from which truck and it’s number plate?
- What was the delivery report to OPM accounting officer visa Viz what was released at the gate?
- What report did transport officer at OPM receive and also make to OPM accounting officer?
- Report on the same from technical people including RDC, DISO or CAO of receiving districts
- Minister Kitutu having requested for 12200 pieces of sheets as per her memo of 12/1/2023, was this the total needed or there are some still lacking?
- How did Kitutu arrive at that total of 12200 sheets? Was there a technical census of the Karacunas or was it a deliberate blanket request to provide room for abuse?
- Could there be any public institution in Bugisu sub-region like a church or school which benefited from sheets, and who donated them?
- Did the donor of those sheets to the church buy them from local hardware shops or bought them from OPM or even from Karamoja?
- In light of this saga, is the minister safe to travel to karamoja again or she will require additional security if she’s to go there? This is meant to calculate the financial aspects involved, according to Inspectors.
Meanwhile, our Inspectors suggest that inside cabinet, is a general complaint by some of her colleagues saying she should carry her cross but not to involve them. We’re told the lady from Manafwa allegedly was the one who originated the sheets’ distribution agenda.
“I challenge her to bring here a letter from me or my office requesting for those sheets. She is the one who went knocking on people’s offices saying she wanted to give them sheets! Those who got them were told, these were sheets from the wider disaster preparedness budget and not that of Karamoja transformation. So, let the hon. Colleague explain whether the sheets for karamoja reached or not and why? As cabinet, we took a decision on that matter” Says a top inspector in cabinet.
However, hon. Kitutu has continued to play it cool on this matter. The saga started a few days ago when State House Anti Corruption Unit netted her relatives including mother and brother on allegations of possessing government stores and also allegedly vending them to locals. Watch this space!
