PARLIAMENT | SPEAKER | AMONG

KAMPALA - As pressure builds up against ministers over iron sheets meant for Karamoja, the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has agreed to buy 500 iron sheets and give them back to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Although Among said she used the iron sheets to roof schools and hospitals, she told Parliament on Wednesday that she has taken a personal decision as a leader to buy 500 iron sheets and give them back.

“Since the iron sheets were not for my district Bukedea and were already given out, I have taken a personal decision as a leader to buy 500 iron sheets and give them back to the Office of the Prime Minister,” she said, attracting applause from fellow legislators.

It was a change of tone from what the Speaker has always used whenever issues of iron sheets arose in Parliament.

Commenting about the matter during Tuesday's plenary, Among said that although she did not request them, they were also given to vulnerable people in Bukedea.

Although Among said she used the iron sheets to roof schools and hospitals, she told Parliament on Wednesday that she has taken a personal decision as a leader to buy 500 iron sheets and give them back. (All Photos by Miriam Namutebi)

“Aren’t people in Bukedea vulnerable? They are vulnerable. They are also very poor. So, the iron sheets served the poor. After all, we gave them to government schools. We are complementing what the Government is doing."

'Am I a thief?'

Among is also serving as the Woman MP for Bukedea.

She insisted that people should stop calling the beneficiaries of the iron sheets that were meant for the vulnerable people in Karamoja "thieves", saying most of them did not ask for them.

She said whoever diverted the iron sheets should carry their own cross.

“I have always said, the iron sheets were taken to my district Bukedea without me knowing. Am I a thief?

"Everybody must carry his or her own cross. If someone diverted them, it is their problem. We did not ask for them."

The Speaker was responding to Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju’s comments on whether the beneficiaries of the iron sheets should be allowed to speak in the House.

Speaker Among remarked as she responded to Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju’s comments on whether the beneficiaries of the iron sheets should be allowed to speak in the House.

Citing Government chief whip Denis Obua, one of the beneficiaries, Ssemujju said many of the ministers who received the iron sheets have already been summoned by Police.

“Madam Speaker, the Police has summoned all the ministers who received Karamoja iron sheets. Is it in order for one of the beneficiaries to stand and address Parliament when we know that they are suspect?

"Honourable Obua knows the pain we go through when our colleagues are arrested and taken to prison,” said Ssemujju.

Among said Obua was innocent since he did not request the iron sheets.

President Yoweri Museveni has since directed the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) to conduct an inquiry into allegations of theft of iron sheets and other relief items that were meant for Karamoja region.

Police spokesman Fred Enanga told journalists during a press briefing that the task will be handled by a joint team comprised of officers from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), CID and SHACU.

“The joint team shall expand on the preliminary inquiries so far conducted and further liaise with IGG and Parliament on the same matter,” he said.