UGANDA: IRON SHEETS MEANT FOR POST NORTHERN UGANDA WAR REPARATION-ACHOLIC MPS

Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South MP, says part of iron sheets distributed by Uganda cabinet Ministers, Uganda Legislators and members of Uganda Ambassadors. Those Iron sheets are part of Northern Uganda post war reparation. But the Prime Minister only declared that the iron sheets are for Karamoja, Teso, Luwero and Renzori Sub Regions.

For older generations, it is not news to them what is taking place in regards to Iron Sheets, the questions over theft of iron sheets and abuse of office. But, for the younger generation the corruption issues they would be thinking of is a new phenomenon.

GULU CITY-WED. 19, 2023:

Acholi Legislators turned the tide of Karamoja 100,000 Iron Sheets meant to be part of the Karamoja Sub Region for cattle rustlers reintegration packages to a mockery, the law maker from Acholi Sub Region called for the investigation into the post war reparation, which government of Uganda offered them the Iron Sheets as part of take home from the Internal Displaced People’s Camps

Anthony Akol, the Chairperson of the Acholi Parliamentary Groups, (APG) last week addressed the Media Press Conference in Kampala, demanding that the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) should account for Northern Uganda reparation intervention.

“We the MPs from Acholi Sub Region, we want OPM to clarified on the issues of Iron Sheets, because the iron sheets give away by the two ministers; Mary Gorreti Kitutu, the minister of Karamoja and Amos Lugolobi, the state minister for finance (planning) is part of iron sheets that belong to Acholi Sub Region. But the office of the Prime Minister never declared to us that Acholi Sub Region also has been allocated the Iron Sheets since felt silent from 2006during the Juba peace talk.” Anthony Akol demanded accountability.

Acholi and Lango Sub Region bore the brunt of LRA unrest, the over two decades in human suffering war between Uganda People ’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and the rebels group of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony, the conflict, which caused alienation in the region, Northern Uganda was declared by England Young UN Under Secretary for Children Affairs unforgettable the world worst catastrophic.

However, 20 Ministers, 30 Ugandans Legislators and 13 Members of Uganda Ambassadors landed on iron sheets part of it was meant for the war ravages, but instead of looking at the situation that victims have a clearly established right to remedy and reparation for serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian  law which was put in place in 2005, by United Nations General Assembly the “basic” principles and guidelines on the right to a remedy and reparation for victims of gross violations of international human rights law, (referred to as The Basic Principles ).

They descended on looting iron sheets could have been elevated the marginalized Acholi and Karamoja areas

Gilbert Olanya, cord named “The only Acholi MP in opposition” also called sideline Press Conference and calls for the government of Uganda to come clear on the issues of accountability of the post war conflict.

“swallow your price and give us the iron sheets as part of Northern Uganda post war recovery which was denied when government promised to construct each household permanent building but now you are distributing iron sheets Karamoja region only.”

Added that in 2006 the government of Uganda promised over 2 million Acholi Community living in Internal Displaced People’s Camps. The government of Uganda instead rewarding the cattle rustlers who raided our cattle, Acholi community are living in abject poverty, our cattle have so not been compensated, and yet the rustlers who are welding guns are being exonerated, the Mavic Gilbert Olanya warned.

According to information gather by the Black Star News Source indicated that three Minister have arrested and charged at the Anti-Corruption Court over corruption accusing them of causing government loss after iron sheets meant to be relief martials for Karamoja were diverted and the MPs, Ministers shared the loots with technocrats in government.

For the first time under President Museveni oligarchy rule the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has come out openly revealing that her office is probing dozens different case files against top government officials and technocrats name and implicated in the iron sheets saga

Among the big fishes that have been boxed into cornier in Uganda biggest scandal of the years are, Among the top officials on list that the DPP’s office is looking into is Vice President (rtd) Maj Jessica Alupo and other junior government officials like the Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) and Members of Parliament (MP).

“There are many others pending because we opened over 40 files on all the recipients of the iron sheets —from the Vice President to the CAOs and some MPs as well. Others big fish are At least 20 ministers and about 35 legislators across the country are facing the heat over the Karamoja irons sheets, with the government struggling to save face over the scandal. A number of senior ministers, including the VP, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, the speaker of Parliament Anita Among and the finance minister, Matia Kasaija are among the most senior ministers to have received the iron sheets.
Ofondo Opondo, the Spokesperson for the government of Uganda told the Black Star News correspondent in Gulu City on Monday, that the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija who participated in passing the budget and also released the funds to buy iron sheets has no excuses to says that he was not aware about the iron sheets being carried to his compound, why did police not informed him that there are somethings being pushed into his home.

“Let the Minister of Finance and his State Minister faced the music, how Amos Lugolobi, the state minister for finance (planning) says that he was not aware of the iron sheets, when he is the one behind the planning”

Acholi Sub Region has been in turmoil from 1971 to 2006, over 40 years, during the Amin era, most of senior civil servants and technocrats including top politicians from the region were killed. As well as our area Bukedi sub region in 1977 when Lt. Col. Oboth Ofumbi. Lt. Col. Eroniya Wilson Oryema and Arch Bishop Jania Loum was killed by the then president Idi Amin

“Acholi Sub Region deserved getting iron sheets,”

Ofondo Opondo who has been in Gulu City since 1988, to 1993 as The News Vision reporter and later in 1996 to 1999 was investigator with Uganda Human Rights Commissioner says if you tell other people that Acholi Sub Region is now peaceful, nobody can belief you.

Gulu City now is one of the best Uganda City in term of growth and development, when you see me now, the scare I have developed I got when I was riding my motorcycle from Gulu to Kitgum town East Acholi, 100 kilometers which was not a good area.

Part of the reason may be that Acholi Sub Region has not been considered for war reparation, things like iron sheets, because Acholi Sub Region is a food basket feeding the whole country.

Ofondo Opondo full statement verbatim a tang waging

“To have the minister with her personal staff through telephone WhatsApp messages solely choose fellow senior political leaders as beneficiary’s points to them falsely believing that these items were theirs to dispense with as they pleased, probably to galvanize future electoral fortunes.

Kitutu is now facing an avalanche of scrutiny, political and media blitz over alleged mishandling and diversion of relief items whose launch President Yoweri Museveni made mid last year with an undertaking that distribution would begin immediately. Nine months later, it’s an embarrassing trail of sleaze.

Early 2022 Parliament allocated a 39bn supplementary budget to purchase 100,000 roofing iron sheets and 74,000 goats for distribution as part of a resettlement package for the Karachun as in efforts to consolidate security, peace and stability in Karamoja where hundreds were recently killed in inter-clan armed livestock thefts.

Records show that Kitutu, whose docket falls under OPM requisitioned for and received in her personal initials (MKA), 12,200 iron sheets to distribute to “vulnerable groups” during her “mobilization” drives in Karamoja. A former civil servant, Kitutu, joined elective politics in 2015 and has served as state minister for environment, Energy Minister, and currently Karamoja Affairs. Clearly, Kitutu is in an unenviable position, feeling the heat from multiple corners and we wait to see how she wriggles out of the storm and multiple investigations.

Now, a line should be drawn especially for ministers and elected politicians so that in future they don’t flout government procedures for delivering public services when administrative structures for procurement, delivery and accountability exist.

A host of ministers who were named as beneficiaries of the bonanza have admitted but with poisonous caveats, some saying they were simply called to pick up the items. Others justified it saying they have already distributed or intended to handover the items to needy groups in their own respective constituencies outside Karamoja. How many of them will publicly stand with Kitutu under the scorching heat remains to be seen?

The melodrama was first discovered by intelligence operatives in Namisindwa who allegedly found Kitutu’s brother and mother selling iron sheets marked “Office of the Prime Minister. Not for Sale,” and has since attracted investigations from State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Inspectorate of Government (IG), and police. In the meantime, MPs and sections of the public and media are yelling the ire that Kitutu should resign, be censured or get sacked by President Museveni.

Obviously, from the investigations the full story of relief items meant for Karamoja whose procurement and distributions have been delayed, compromised, mishandled, and now said to be diverted will be uncovered and appropriate actions taken. A thorough investigation should reveal the most recent procured stocks for all the affirmative line ministries of Luwero Triangle, Karamoja, Teso, Northern Uganda, and Bunyoro affairs to check the integrity of OPM stores, and as well determine whether the iron sheets recently received by ministers were not meant for Karamoja.

In some respects, this scandal is similar to others where government officials have connived to divert, mishandle, or steal often with little trace, items or programs meant for disaster relief, recovery and resettlements since the Luwero Triangle, Northern Uganda and Teso Affairs affirmative ministries were created. Yet somehow it appears no useful lessons have been learnt over the years. Hopefully, this time round, the findings will enable government to establish a more robust system for accountability throughout relief and disaster management chain from needs assessment, procurement, storage, requisition and distribution”

Lucy Hovil the Human Rights defended has argued, it appears that Uganda has two nations when dealing with forced displacement and transitional justice, the Karamoja Sub Region and the northern Uganda reparation remedy. Two distinct yet closely connected.

The Acholi scenario where civil and international conflicts uprooted millions from their homes and forced them into exile for years or even decades, the post conflict did not address human rights abuses and that is concerned with addressing the political implications of the conflict, at least at a rhetorical level.

The displacement is a consequence of the violence that transitional justice processes seek to address, should the OPM and Uganda government fail to address, it can also become a cause of future violence if the Acholi case scenario is not dealt with properly.

You read Lucy Hovil footnote where law meets reality page 131