Moroto, Uganda | URN | Local leaders in the Karamoja sub-region are demanding the prosecution of all government officials implicated in the iron sheet scandal, saying the conviction of former Karamoja Affairs State Minister Agnes Nandutu alone does not deliver justice to the Karamojong people.
On April 10, the Anti-Corruption Court sentenced Nandutu to four years in jail and barred her from holding public office for 10 years over the iron sheet saga.
Nandutu was accused of stealing 2,000 iron sheets meant for reformed Karamojong warriors who voluntarily surrendered firearms to the government and embraced peace.
While leaders welcomed the conviction, many said they are not convinced justice has been served for senior officials allegedly involved have not been prosecuted.
Thomas Loukwae, Napak District Councilor representing Lokopo sub-county, said they expected all ministers implicated to be convicted, not only Nandutu.
“Nandutu was a junior minister who relied on orders from above,” Loukwae said. “We shall only realize justice when all officials listed in the iron sheet saga are brought to book, or else it will be diversionary .prosecution.”
He also blamed internal conflicts among Karamoja leaders for failing to track government programs, adding that the iron sheet project was “messed up” and even the few sheets delivered did not reach the intended reformed warriors.
Paul Lokol, outgoing LC5 chairperson of Nabilatuk district, said many people stole iron sheets, including some leaders from Karamoja.
“We are only happy that one person has been convicted, but it’s not enough because the master planners of the scandal have been left to walk free,” he said.
He suggested there may have been gaps in investigations since most ministers with a hand in the scandal were discharged. “It’s unfair to have one person suffer on behalf of all suspects,” he added.
Max Choudry, Executive Director of Karamoja Rural Action for Development Organization and human rights defender, welcomed the ruling as a deterrent to officials involved in corruption.
He said government programs meant to transform the region have been mismanaged, and such punishments will serve as a lesson. However, he stressed that convictions should apply to all culprits, not only junior ministers.
Anjello Pulkol, newly elected LC5 for Moroto district, said the ruling was welcome but questioned why it focused on a single junior official. “The judgment should have affected all those who confirmed receiving ironsheets meant for Karamoja. Up to date, Karachunas are still asking for the iron sheets the government promised, and we can’t provide answers,” Pulkol said.
Pulkol stressed that the laws of Uganda appear to be bent if they spared other culprits and used Nandutu as a sacrifice.”
However, Charles Topoth, an opinion leader in Moroto district, said Nandutu deserved the conviction because she was the custodian of the project to benefit the people she served.
“The prime suspects in the scandal are the two ministers in charge of Karamoja Affairs; they mismanaged properties that were under their docket,” Topoth said.
He argued there was no need to “chase other suspects who were just invited to participate” after the two prime suspects initiated the deal.
Topoth said the two ministers deserved harsh punishment, “equivalent to a life sentence,” for sabotaging a government project meant to empower reformed warriors and pave the way for development.
