Karamoja Iron Sheets: Museveni bars travel for Implicated officials until scandal is done

KAMPALA, UGANDA: President Museveni has passed a directive barring any government officials involved in the Iron Sheets scandal from travelling abroad until the scandal is done, a highly placed security source has revealed.

The implicated ministers and officials had reportedly started making plans of running into hiding due to fear of arrest and embarrassment but the directive looks likely to thwart these plans as the President insists that every official involved in the iron sheets scandal must stay put in order not to jeopardize investigations and the work of security agencies.

The source that strictly preferred anonymity due to sensitivity of the report told this website that four other officials including Minister Agnes Nandutu (Karamoja) who went into hiding since Friday and Minister Judith Nabakooba (Lands) are also lined up for arrest this coming week.

The development comes after the arrest of State Minister for Finance and Planning, Amos Lugoloobi who is currently detained at Kira Division police in Kampala pending an appearance before the Anti-Corruption Court on Monday.

Lugoloobi’s arrest followed the release on bail of Karamoja Affairs Minister Dr Mary Goretti Kitutu who had spent 8 days on remand at Luzira on two counts of causing public loss and one charge of conspiracy to defraud government.

In his April 3rd letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Museveni ordered that whoever was involved in the iron sheets scandal should return the iron sheets or their monetary equivalent. This however would not exonerate anyone from a police investigation or the sacking from the cabinet.

As of yesterday; Anita Among, Matia Kasaijja, Agnes Nandutu, Rebecca Kadaga and Amos Lugoloobi had notified the OPM that they were in the process of returning the iron sheets.

The Speaker had by Friday delivered the 500 iron sheets she took, while Nandutu already delivered 2000 ( 300 less than what she took).

The sheets of corrugated iron roofing were earmarked for low-cost housing in Karamoja, an underdeveloped and restive region in northwest Uganda bordering Kenya and South Sudan.

The scandal caused significant public outcry across the country where government corruption is endemic.

Up to 22 ministers, 31 MPs and 13 district Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) have been implicated in the scandal, alongside Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.