I will not tolerate corruption in Karamoja, says Mrs. Museveni

Mar 25, 2009

The State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mrs. Janet Museveni, has warned district officials in Kotido against corruption. Mrs. Museveni, who toured the region over the weekend for the first time since her appointment, said there was hardly any programme

By Henry Mukasa and Olandason Wanyama

The State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mrs. Janet Museveni, has warned district officials in Kotido against corruption. Mrs. Museveni, who toured the region over the weekend for the first time since her appointment, said there was hardly any programme on the ground to show for the billions of shillings the Government had sent to the region.

She attended a council meeting in which the district chairman, Paul Lomario, said they had received sh27b from the Government, but drought, hunger and water scarcity continued to trouble the region.

However, Mrs. Museveni, said those problems could be handled given the funding from the Government and donors. The First Lady also grilled the district NAADS coordinator, Paul Lochap, over sh676m that was not accounted for.

“Everybody is complaining that Government has not done enough for Karamoja, but the money has been sent,” she said.

Following reports that part of the sh810m meant for the rural water programme would be used to desilt a valley dam, Mrs. Museveni said a budget should be provided first.

She ordered a freeze on expenditure on several other programmes until the expenditure patterns were reviewed. “Why can’t local governments do what the colonialists did, so that 30 years from now they say when I was in Government we did this?” Mrs. Museveni asked.

“I am not going to be ekichupuli (fake) because I serve God. If I become ekichupuli, God will kill me,” she said.

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