Kitutu breaks cover: Quizzed over relatives in iron sheets saga

Introductions of Members of  the Presidential Affairs Committee

(Ababiku Jesca (district woman representative for Adjumani and chair of the Committee, Tony Awany (Nwoya County), Kamukama Benjamin (Ruhaama East County), Peter Okot (Tochi County), Evelyn Chemutai  (Bukwo), Onekalit Denis Amere (Kitgum), Acora Nancy (Lamwo), Buturo Nsaba (Bufumbira East), Ssasaga Isaias Johny (Budadiri East), Lagen David (Agago), Mbabazi Kyomuhendo (Kagadi), Lokoru Albert (Tepeth), Twalla Fadil (Tingey County), Stella Atyang (Moroto).

Petitioners on the matter: Margaret Aachilla Aleper ( Woman Representative for Kotido District), Karamoja Parliamentary Group chairperson Remigio Achia.

Committee  Chairperson Jesca Ababiku: Honourable minister and now we are done. You can introduce your team members.

Karamoja Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu: Thank you very much chair and Honourable colleagues. I am Kitutu Mary Goretti, the minister for Karamoja Affairs and will request the acting PS to guide the introduction of the technical team.

(Other members introduce themselves: Geoffrey Sseremba (under secretary and accounting officer at Office of the Prime Minister but I am also holding fort of Office of Permanent Secretary at this time when the PS is away outside the country. Patrick Okello (Commissioner for Human Resource Management in the Office of the Prime Minister), John Kalule (Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Planning in the Office of the Prime Minister), Kasule Robert (Head of the Prime Minister’s delivery unit)

Ababiku: Thank you for the introduction Honourable minister. We wrote to you with a clear check list

[Murmurs are heard among committee members asking the minister to put off her face mask that she came wearing for the interface]

Ababiku: Government has not made a declaration that there is no Covid, so....(laughs). Honourable minister, sorry for the interference. We invited you with a clear checklist and I want to say that we have gotten the copies of your submission and request you to take us through.

Kitutu: Thank you chair

Ababiku: Take us through [the document containing responses to issues in the petition by the Karamoja Parliamentary Group against the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs]

[Minister presents statement before committee members]

[After presentation, questions are directed towards the minister]

Introduction

The Karamoja Sub-region has experienced insecurity for many years. The insecurity is largely in form of recurring violence and conflict between different communities in the region. The main driver of this insecurity in the region is cattle rustling. The practice has, over time, become more violent and deadly, with the proliferation of small arms and the involvement of criminal gangs exacerbating the situation. The insecurity has led to socio-economic loss, which has left the region with the highest poverty levels in comparison to other regions and the national average.

The government of Uganda has, over time, implemented a number of interventions to restore and promote security in Karamoja Sub-region. In December 2001, the government launched the disarmament programme to rid the region of illegal guns that had caused untold suffering to the people and undermined the development of the region. The disarmament was initially by force, but later became voluntary in conjunction with a range of stakeholders, including local communities and civil society organisations. This exercise led to the collection of over 40,000 guns from warriors by January 2009. As result of the exercise, the Karamoja region experienced relative peace for a decade (2009 - 2019).

In addition, the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister has since 2007 been implementing affirmative programmes in Karamoja Sub-region to improve its socio-economic development. The ministry specifically formulated and implemented the Karamoja Integrated Development Programme (KIDP I, II 8b III) whose overall aim was to contribute to human security and promote conditions for recovery and development of Karamoja after disarmament.

Through the KIDP framework, the ministry coordinated different development interventions by Government of Uganda and Development partners in the region, which led to improvement in the socioeconomic conditions of the people. The proportion of the population living in poverty reduced from over 80 percent before disarmament to 60.8 percent in 2019.

However, from 2019, Karamoja has been experiencing inter-clan and cross-border conflicts, and armed cattle raids, which has led to an escalation of insecurity in the region and neighbouring districts. The situation has been exacerbated by the by formation of alliances and counter-raids by different clans. There are bad alliances between the various ethnic groups in Karamoja and the neighbouring Kenya and South Sudan. In addition, cattle rustling has been commercialised, with criminal elements at the forefront of trade in raided animals and illegal firearms from neighbouring Republics of South Sudan and Kenya.

On September 24, 2021, H.E. the President presided over a meeting of Karamoja region Members of Parliament (MPs), LC5 chairpersons, and relevant sector MDAs to discuss interventions to restore security in Karamoja. The meeting discussed and agreed on the interventions that government, through responsible line MDAs, would undertake in a coordinated manner to restore security in the region. More specifically, the meeting agreed that the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs would provide alternative means of livelihoods to reformed warriors and organise community engagements to promote peace in the region. The meeting further agreed that an emergency fund be availed to the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs to provide alternative means of livelihoods to the reformed warriors in form of goats and iron sheets, and intensify community peace building mobilisation.

In light of the above, Cabinet and Parliament appropriated a supplementary budget of Shs39.9 billion to the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs to contribute towards the pacification process, which was being undertaken by different government MDAs in Karamoja region. More specifically, the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs was required to provide alternative means of livelihoods (goats and iron sheets) to reformed warriors, and organise and coordinate peacebuilding engagements in the region.

Issue 1:

On engagements with the leadership in Karamoja and development partners over the ills that bedevil Karamoja

(i) Provide evidence of the various engagements with Karamoja leadership and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the problem of insecurity in the region.

(ii) Provide evidence of resolutions arising from the said engagements

The Ministry of Karamoja Affairs engages with Karamoja leadership and other stakeholders to find solutions to the insecurity in the region. Overall, under stakeholder engagements, the ministry undertook the following initiatives:

1.1. Consultative   meetings with Karamoja leadership and other stakeholders in Karamoja Sub-region

(i) Consultative meetings with HE the President and Karamoja leadership. HE the President presided over two meetings, one at Morulinga State Lodge and another at State House, Entebbe. Both meetings were attended by Karamoja region Members of Parliament (MPs), LC5 chairpersons, and relevant sector MDAs. The meetings discussed and agreed on the interventions that government, through responsible line MDAs, would undertake to restore security in the region. Among other things, the meetings agreed that the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs would provide alternative means of livelihoods (goats) and better living conditions (iron sheets) to reformed warriors and vulnerable households respectively, and organise community engagements to promote peace in the region.

(ii) Consultative meeting of the Hon ministers for Karamoja Affairs, Defence and Veteran Affairs, and Karamoja MPs at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Mbuya. The meeting was convened on  February 10, 2022 to discuss the roadmap for implementation of interventions that were agreed on at the meetings held at State House, Entebbe and Morulinga State Lodge to restore peace in Karamoja subregion.

(iii) Consultative meeting of the Hon minister for Karamoja Affairs and Karamoja MPs at Office of the Prime Minister. The meeting was convened on February 11, 2022 to discuss the roadmap for implementation of interventions under the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs that were agreed on at the meetings at State House, Entebbe and Morulinga State Lodge to restore peace in Karamoja Sub-region.

(iv) Consultative meeting of Karamoja MPs and Rt Hon Prime Minister. The meeting was held on September 30, 2022 at the Office of the Prime Minister to discuss the security situation in Karamoja and the status of implementation of interventions to restore security in the region.

(v) Consultative meetings with Karamoja Sub-region development partners and NGOs. The Minister of Karamoja Affairs chaired a series of meetings of Karamoja Sub-region development partners and NGOs in both Kampala and Karamoja Sub-region. The meetings discussed ways development partners and NGOs could work with Government of Uganda to restore and promote security in Karamoja Sub-region.

(vi) Consultative meeting of Karamoja leaders, stakeholders, and Rt Hon Prime Minister. The Rt Hon Prime Minister chaired a meeting of Karamoja Sub-region leaders and stakeholders at Hotel Africana, Moroto in October 2022 to discuss the then hunger situation and insecurity in the region.

(vii) Regional Council meeting. The Ministry organised and held a Karamoja Regional Council meeting on March 17 and 18, 2022 at Naitakwae Grounds, Moroto District to review the security situation and adopt resolutions to solve the security challenge in the sub-region. Various presentations were made on the security situation and a number of resolutions were agreed upon. The meeting was attended by representatives from all the nine  district councils of Karamoja, district chairpersons, mayors, district and municipal councillors. In attendance also were ministers, Members of Parliament, Office of the Prime Minister staff, district local government technical staff, cultural and religious leaders and various heads of the security agencies

(viii) Community peace building engagements. The ministry also held peacebuilding engagements to bring together stakeholders at the grassroots to discuss and find solutions to the security threat in the region. The engagements include:

Community peacebuilding meetings. The ministry organised community peacebuilding meetings in cattle rustling hotspots to mobilise communities at the grassroots for peace. The meetings were organised and held in Kotido, Kaabong, Moroto, Nabilatuk, Amudat and Nakapiripirit districts.

Inter-district peacebuilding meetings. The ministry also held inter-district peacebuilding meetings to reconcile the warring  clans, including the Kotido-Kaabong meeting to reconcile the Jie of Kotido and Dodoth of Kaabong; and Kotido-Napak-Moroto meeting to reconcile the Jie of Kotido, Bokora of Napak and Matheniko of Moroto.

Warriors’ (Karachuna) retreats. In collaboration with the Catholic Church in Kaabong, the ministry also held warriors’ (Karachuna) retreats in Kaabong, Moroto and Napak to sensitise warriors against cattle rustling as well as increase their awareness on the dangers and repercussions of the practice. The retreats also encouraged the warriors to voluntarily handover illegal firearms to authorities.

Karamoja Women Peace Committee Meetings. The ministry organised a meeting with the Karamoja Women Peace Committees of Moroto and Napak as part of my ministry’s initiative to resolve the current security threat in the region. In each district, we invited five Women Peace Committee members for each sub-county and the local political leaders. The purpose of the meetings was to bring together women of peace, who are key   stakeholders   in   the   disarmament   process,   to discuss and find solutions to the current security threat in the region.

(ix)    Karamoja Parliamentary Group Peacebuilding Activities. The ministry also facilitated the Karamoja Parliamentary Group to undertake pacification activities in the region to contribute towards peacebuilding in the region. These included:

 A reflection retreat for the KPG to review the ongoing pacification efforts in the region;

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Joint peacebuilding community meetings in northern, central and southern Karamoja; and  mop-up peacebuilding mobilisation campaigns by respective MPs at constituency level.

Issue 2

On the She39 billion supplementary budget towards the pacification of Karamoja region, provide information on the:

(i) The purpose of the supplementary budget .

The purpose of the supplementary budget was to contribute towards restoration of security and improvement in the livelihoods of the people in Karamoja region. The specific objectives of the interventions were to:

(i) Provide livelihood support, in form of goats and iron sheets, to reformed warriors (Karachunas) to enable them integrate into their respective communities; and

(ii) Support the disarmament programme in Karamoja through mobilisation, persuasion and sensitisation of communities to promote peaceful co-existence and development in the region.

(ii) Amount released

The Ministry of Finance released Shs39.94 billion towards the implementation of pacification of interventions in Karamoja sub-region.

(iii)   List of the intended beneficiaries of the iron sheets and goats by district, sub-county, parish and village:

The OPM requested respective district local governments to generate lists of beneficiaries for goats and iron sheets, which were subsequently submitted to OPM. Local governments were required to identify 15 reformed warriors (Karachunas) in each parish to be supported with goats and seven  vulnerable households (women, elderly and youth) in each parish to be supported with iron sheets.

In each district, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was to constitute the District Verification Committee for selection of beneficiaries and distribution of items. The committee was to be composed of LC 5 chairperson, Resident District Commissioner (RDC), District Police Commander (DPC), District Internal Security Officer (DISO),Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) representative and relevant technical officers. At sub-county and parish level, the sub-cunty chief was to form a Parish Selection Committee composed of the GISO, LC III Chairperson, Parish Chief, Community Development Officer (CDO), opinion leaders and LC1 chairpersons. 

(iv) Provide information on the procurement process of goats and iron sheets in terms of:

(a)Advertisements

(b)List of bidders

(c)List of successful bidders

(d) Justification for the selection of the best bidders

(e) Copies of award letters to the suppliers

f) Copies of contracts

(g) Specifications of items that were supplied (goats and iron sheets)

(h)Delivery notes of the items to areas of distribution/holding grounds

(i) Distribution lists

j) Contract management report

(k) Contract performance report on the distribution

(a) Procurement of goats

The Office of the Prime Minister followed the PPDA guidelines in the procurement process of goats. The OPM sourced terms of reference and technical specification for the supply of goats from (NARO) Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (ZARDI), which has knowledge and experience in goats breeding and rearing in the region.

The institute advised the OPM to consider three breeds for procurement that could improve production and productivity as well adaptable to the region. The goats varieties recommended were Galla, East African and Boer goats. The institute also advised that all male goats should be Galla and / or Boer goats to promote crossbreeding, which would lead to improvement in the quality of the breeds of goats in the region.

The OPM advertised for domestic bids for framework contracts for supply of all the three breeds of goats in leading newspapers in February 2021. A total of 93 local companies responded to the call. After evaluation, 54 companies qualified to supply goats and were awarded framework contracts. 

As part of the terms and conditions of the contracts, the contractors were responsible for transportation of goats to the distribution sites, security, loading, vaccination and treatment of animals before distribution under the supervision of the district veterinary officer. Quoted prices per goat factored in all the above expenses and taxes. The contractors were also required to replace animals that would die during transportation and within the quarantine period as well as goats that did not meet the minimum standards. The goats would then be received by the respective districts after certification of herd health by the district veterinary officer (DVO) for distribution to the beneficiaries.

(b) Procurement of iron sheets

The Office of the Prime Minister sourced technical specifications for pre-painted iron sheets from the Ministry of Works and Transport. An advert was placed in leading dailies inviting domestic bids for the supply of iron sheets. The contract for supply of the iron sheets was awarded to Roofings (U) Limited and MM Integrated Steels (U) Limited for supply of iron sheets. These are the companies that supply iron sheets for all OPM affirmative action interventions. The companies delivered 95,044 iron sheets to OPM stores in Namanve.

(v) Distribution per item i.e., goats and iron sheets and the balance after distribution

(vi) Number of goats during and their location

(vii)  Number of goats rejected because they were unhealthy

(viii) Number of goats that died

(a) Delivery and distribution of goats

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A total of 74,400 goats were delivered and distributed to beneficiaries in the region. Before distribution, the goats were inspected by the district veterinary officers to confirm that they meet minimum specifications. The goats were also treated and vaccinated before distribution. A number of goats, which did not meet the minimum standards were rejected by the DVOs and replaced by suppliers.

(b)Delivery and distribution of iron sheets

The OPM has so far released 20,500 iron sheets from OPM stores. Of these, 1,000 and 5,000 iron sheets were delivered to Moroto and Nakapiripirit Districts respectively. The balance of 14,500 was distributed as donations by the Hon minister. The OPM is in the process of delivering the remaining 74,544 iron sheets in stores to benefit 3,339 beneficiaries that were submitted by districts.

Issue 3

On the supplementary budget of Shs135 billion for the procurement of relief items Provide detailed   information on the performance of  the supplementary funding in terms of:

(i) The actual amount received

(ii) How the money was distributed per relief item

(iii)   Actual expenditure

Of the Shs135 billion approved by Cabinet in July 2022 to provide relief food items to the hunger stricken population in Karamoja and other parts of the country, only Shs20 billion was received from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

Shs19,185,197,080 was spent on procurement of relief food. This translated into 96 percent of the total funds released.

Overall, 3,380,333kgs of maize flour and l,679, 000kgs of beans were procured.

Out of the above quantities, l,839,600kgs of maize flour and 919,800kgs of beans were allocated to all districts in Karamoja Sub-region. This translated into 54.5 percent of the procured relief food. 1,540,400kgs of maize flour and 759,200kgs of beans were   allocated   to   other   affected   parts   across   the country. This translated into 45.5 percent of the procured relief food.

Shs 814,802,920 was spent on transportation costs for the procured relief food items, this translated into 4 percent of the total funds received.

Issue 4

Regarding the Karamoja Feeds Project, provide information/explanation on:

(i) The general performance of the project from its inception to date with specific attention to FY 2020/21

(ii) The allegations of the loss of 3,500 bags of maize seeds harvested in FY 2020/21

4.1.  Performance of the Karamoja Feeds Project 2017 - 2022

Since 2015, the Government of Uganda, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) through the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs has been implementing the Karamoja Feeds Karamoja initiative, which aimed at contributing food to the school feeding programme in Karamoja.

Under this initiative, the Office of the Prime Minister entered into a memorandum of understanding with Uganda Prison Service for the production of maize grain using Namalu Prison Farm in Nakapiripirit District. The OPM provides funding for the production of the maize. The prison farm produces maize and hands it over to WFP for distribution under the school feeding programme. WFP carries out routine quality control before accepting food into the programme.

The OPM has not registered any loss of maize from Prison Stores in Namalu.

In FY 2020/21, there was no funding provided to Uganda Prison Service due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the early 2020 because the schools were closed.

Karamoja Parliamentary Group chairperson Remigio Achia [chief petitioner]: Let this country know that there was no provision for the minister to either directly get 3,000 iron sheets or for her to have a specific budget to donate. We are just dealing with a person who lacks integrity. Where did you get the audacity to prey on poor people from Karamoja to get yourself a list of donations?

Achia continues: She is so bold to say that she took 14, 500 and we know the list to whom she donated, which is really painful. The first time this information came out, I could not even eat. I don’t know whether she even eats. She looks healthy.

Ababiku: Honourable members, let us discuss this matter with the observation of rules of procedure. Let us use parliamentary language.

Achia:Madam chair, as the chief petitioner on this matter, my prayers to this committee remain the same that those who are responsible for this mess, in God’s name, please, if you have some sense of honestly, step aside and let this committee do its work and I am happy with my colleagues who have recommended that individuals even technical staff who are involved in this process should be asked questions so that we need the depth for who was really responsible for this mess and who should answer and pay for this mess. My prayers remain the same and they are on the petition which was submitted to this committee and I have a copy and I can repeat them and if they are Christian enough, these two ministers [Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu who was also present for the meeting,] If you think you are brilliant performers, step aside so that we find out whether you are guilty or innocent. Please step aside and allow the investigations to go on. Thank you.

Ababiku: Thank you so much Honourable Members of Parliament for the input. This is one of the difficult tasks given to us because it is about the lives of the people. It is about humanity. Honourable minister, as a committee we request for honesty and transparency as we handle these matters because we are human enough.

Before we proceed with other things, there was a procedural matter about having the two ministers here and in the interactions so far,  the issues on the allegations against the minister [Nandutu] have been raised, so we kindly request the State minister to kindly move out and as we conclude on this matter, we shall invite you back because people have been asking how she got the 3,000 iron sheets. So, we shall invite you later. But I request to read a Constitutional Provision, Article 164 (2) that states that any person holding a political or public office who directs or concurs in the use of public funds contrary to the existing instructions shall be accountable for any loss arising from that use and shall be required to make good the loss even if he or she has seized to hold that office. We are on accountability and on the mandates we have been given, let’s be open to each other. There is provision where we can make good on the losses and there is a lot of information outside, but, here we are to do justice to everyone.

[Nandutu steps out]

Ababiku continues: Honourable minister, you elaborated on the agreed positions made in several meetings with leaders from the region, but we were informed that the petitioners disagreed with you and your team. Their preference was not the goats and even the iron sheets that they preferred to have tractors but then dragged them to have the goats and iron sheets over which they conceded and I am happy they are here. So, we want minutes to this, that it was a harmonised position to have the goats purchased, that they even told that Karamoja Sub-region being faced with persistent famine, they never wanted the goats because they will be eaten and they also told us as you forced them, many of the goats were eaten. So do we need evidence for that?

Ababiku continues: We are also informed that the iron sheets are not meant to be distributed now until you purchase things for making the blocks and we have been informed that during the launch, you made a commitment before the President that you are going to purchase the machines to make the blocks before the distribution. So we need clarity on this information.

Ababiku: You gave us detailed information about the contribution of NGOs in the area. We need performance reports

You elaborately from pages 4 to 6 that you elaborately handle with the leaders and the community. We want the costs.

You have told us about the specifications on goats, can we get evidence? On these allegations of goats and iron sheets, what has been your target?

The purchase of these iron sheets, when did you buy them? You have elaborated that these iron sheets are meant for the vulnerable and the Karuchanas. Under the donations, tell us whether you are intending them for this group and whether they are only for people in the Karamoja region. But we have been given a list of people who have benefitted from this list and they said you gave them the iron sheets but they are not vulnerable people. They are not from Karamoja. Why did you include them among the vulnerable groups?  But we have also been told that your relatives have been implicated in this. Your mother and brother are implicated in the selling. Is this claim truth or are people trying to concoct statements against you and your family members?

The people of Karamoja are saying that they did not get any iron sheets. If they lied to us, this is the only time to get the truth that they only received iron sheets for the launch. Did you do it alone?

How are we going to differentiate the iron sheets purchased using the Shs39 billion and the routine money accorded to you?  Tell us how to differentiate. We still have trust in you. They are labelled OPM and that is why we want to know when they were purchased and whether they are still in the store.

Lastly, I request that you give a performance of the affirmative action budget for the last two years so that we can be able to make comparative analysis whether there is no duplication of work. I know that the questions are too many and we need to know whether you are prepared to answer them or you need to make written submissions and we will reconvene. Honorable minister, you can have the mic.

Kitutu responds: Thank you very much Honorable chair and Honorable colleagues. But I think Honorable chair. I will still repeat and give clarification that the money meant for relief food, the Shs20 billion, did not come to my ministry. It is the minister of disaster affairs who is accountable although we have the same accounting officer.

Ababiku: How do you coordinate with that ministry because you are the beneficiary?

Kitutu: Now, my role is coordination.

Ababiku: Can we go to another area?

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Kitutu: Now, thank you very much chair, before I go to clarify on what he said [to] the one Honorable member who was saying that Bugisu received food. Like, you have seen, I don’t oversee the distribution of food. So, I think he needs to withdraw his statement that the ministers influence food to go to Bugisu.

Now, Honorable chair, I will request on the issue of donations, that you allow me time to come back.

Ababiku: How about the other issues [asked]

Kitutu: I can ask if the technical people are ready. We shall answer every issue:

Ababiku: Honorable colleagues, we have asked too many questions. Can we meet on Friday? We want evidence based responses. These are very big allegations. Can we meet on Friday at 10 am. I think that is better.

[Members discuss amongst themselves before and adjourning]

The ministers Kitutu and Nandutu will return to the House tomorrow to make clarifications on allegations

Kasaija interfaces with committee

Ababiku: Hon minister, you are on the list of beneficiaries. Tell us how you got the iron sheets

Kasaija: Thank you very much madam chair and colleagues. You have now given me chance to release myself because when I see things in the press which are not substantiated. The press does not want to get the facts. First of all, madam chair, I never applied for those iron sheets. Never. I did not apply for them. I did not ask ‘please, give me.’ Yes, I got. Someone says ‘Honorable Kasaija, the Office of the Prime Minister is donating iron sheets for you’. Donating, yes and we have some papers which I will bring you [as evidence]. So, the next thing I see the iron sheets have been delivered. Even now there is a bundle of 300. I did not know how it came in my compound. You can come and I take you to go and see them. I did not. The other ones that I took, I was told it was to support my constituency and true, I have done that precisely and given 450 iron sheets to a school which I finished fundraising for recently. The balance is still in my store in Kibaale and I am looking to whom should I give these. So, please crucify me knowing that I am an innocent man on this issue. I am totally innocent. The iron sheets found me in my compound. So, I will stop on that one, otherwise you have other questions

Ababiku: This is an opportunity to relieve yourself.

Kasaija: Thank you

Oboth-Oboth interfaces with committee

Earlier, Oboth-Oboth, as the first witness had appeared to give a report on the Uganda People Defence Forces (UPDF) involvement in the mismanagement of relief items for Karamoja. He made the statement on behalf of minister of Defence, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja.

[Minister presents documents before committee]. After his presentation, MPs ask the minister to clarify a number of issues in the document including, among other things, why should UPDF should be the one distributing food for Karamoja.