PARLIAMENT | OPPOSITION | RESIGNATION

Opposition MPs in Parliament have asked Karamoja Affairs Minister Dr. Mary Goretti Kitutu to resign immediately for allegedly diverting iron sheets meant for the people of Karamoja.

The legislators, led by Mityana Woman MP Joyce Bagala, have stated that if she does not resign, the opposition will join their colleagues from Karamoja in condemning her.

Kitutu is also the Manafwa district's female MP.

“We demand the immediate resignation of Minister Kitutu, short of which we are going to rally, as the opposition, the entire Parliament to support the censure as proposed by the Karamoja parliamentary group," said Bagala on Friday at Parliament.

"We are also demanding a proper inquest into this corruption scandal because several ministers and government officials have been mentioned." The diversion deprived the people of Karamoja of the opportunity to get their iron sheets.

Kitutu is currently at the center of a scandal claiming she diverted iron sheets meant for the poor people in Karamoja to her home district, Namisindwa.

Last week, security personnel arrested her mother, brother, and nephew in connection with the iron sheets after they were allegedly caught selling them in Namisindwa.

The Inspectorate General of Government and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit has also kicked off investigations into the matter.

On Friday, seven MPs from the Karamoja region presented a motion to the Clerk of Parliament seeking a resolution of Parliament to pass a vote of censure against the minister, accusing her of abuse of office and mismanagement of supplies meant for Karamoja.

(L-R) Mityana Woman Member of Parliament Joyce Bagala and Member of Parliament for Mukono North Abdallah Kiwanuka in a presser where they announced National Unity Platform support for the censure or resignation of the the minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu for allegedly mismanaging relief items/iron sheets meant for Karamoja subregion. The presser was at parliament.

An official notice of censure was lodged with the Clerk of Parliament and copied to the Speaker by a joint team of MPs from Karamoja, who included:

- Peter Lochap (Bokora East)

- Moses Aleper (Chekwii county)

- Faith Nakut (Napak district)

- Ben Baatom Koryang (Dodoth)

- Noman Ochero (Labwor county)

- John Bosco Ngoya (Bokora county)

- Philips Lokwang (Napore West)

Moving under Rule 109 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the legislators accused Kitutu of abuse of office, willful violation of the oath of allegiance, and mismanagement.

“Our action is based because the Minister for Karamoja Affairs has failed to deliver iron sheets and other supplies meant for Karamoja to support the ongoing disarmament exercise. "These supplies were financed through the supplementary budget that was passed by Parliament in December 2021,” they said.

They accuse Kitutu of diverting some of the items to non-intended beneficiaries, depriving the intended group of people in Karamoja.

Addressing the press at Parliament, the opposition MPs said they were deeply concerned about the increasing levels of corruption in Uganda and that nothing was being done to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The MPs said further that all the other implicated ministers, who also allegedly received the iron sheets, should be investigated and tried under the Anti-Corruption Act for loss of property under Section 10 and abuse of office under Section 11.

The MPs challenged President Yoweri Museveni to take action against the officials if he is serious about fighting the vice.

“As the Opposition, we have presented several recommendations in Parliament on graft, but the leadership has ignored this well-intended recommendation to fight corruption."