By Caroline Kanshabe
The government has finally flagged off iron sheets to the reformed Karimojong rustlers.
A total of 97,555 iron sheets for 3,752 beneficiaries across the Karamoja region were flagged off from Namave on Wednesday by Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja, MPs of Karamoja, and State Minister for Karamoja Agness Nandutu, who is among the ministers facing trial in the high court for diverting the first batch of iron sheets meant for the region.
The iron sheets are being transported using UPDF military trucks, and each district receives a truck packed with iron sheets.
These come few months after a scandal involving top ministers engulfed the nation after they allegedly connived to steal these iron sheets.
Some of the ministers that were exposed in this scandal included the Finance state Minister for Planning, Amos Lugoloobi, Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu who was arrested alongside her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu the Minister in charge of Karamoja.
President Yoweri Museveni on April 3 wrote to Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja (who was also accused) saying those who were involved in the iron sheets scandal made a political mistake, promising to take political action. The president also ordered those who irregularly received the iron sheets to return them, which they did.
In December 2021, parliament passed a supplementary budget worth Shs 39 billion to support various programs in Karamoja. Of this, Shs 22 billion was allocated to purchase goats while Shs 5 billion was for the procurement of 100,000 pieces of iron sheets.
