IGG to stiffly investigate Karamoja iron sheets scandal
Kamya noted that without fear or favour, her office will immediately ask officials who interfere with the investigations to step down from their positions.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya Turwomwe, has assured the public that her office will stiffly investigate the matter in which high-profile government leaders are allegedly thought to have mismanaged relief in form of iron sheets meant for Karamoja people.
Top on the list of the alleged officials is the Minister in charge of Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu, who is on the spot for allegedly diverting iron sheets that were procured to support the vulnerable groups, interest groups and institutions among others in Karamoja region.
Kamya said this during the launch of the declaration exercise of incomes, assets, and liabilities of government leaders at Uganda Media Center. She promised the public that her office is doing its best to investigate the matter.
She noted that without fear or favour, her office will immediately ask officials who interfere with the investigations to step down from their positions.
“And if there are people who need to step aside because we fear that they might tamper with the investigations, we shall ask them to step aside. However, what is mandatory for someone to step aside is when they have been charged in court,” she said.
The IGG also added that before investigations are done, there are some meticulous preparations in which the scope of the case is determined, the number of people involved, as well as determining whether people must step aside.
“It’s not that you just come out in one day and tell someone to step aside; it’s when you have put the case together and then make an investigation plan. In that investigation plan, you must have known the scope of most of the people involved,” she noted.
In a February 15 statement, the legislators under the Karamoja Parliamentary Group (KPG) accused the docket head, Kitutu of diverting iron sheets, goats and foods that were meant to benefit people in Karamoja who in the recent past were affected by starvation and spates of insecurity.
Meanwhile, when asked about the status of the NSSF scandal which falls in her docket that handles corruption and embezzlement of government funds, Kamya noted that disclosing details may jeopardize the ongoing investigations.
The Inspectorate of Government is an independent institution charged with the responsibility of eliminating corruption, abuse of authority and public office in the country.
