Kitutu faces arrest for snubbing summonses
Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- According to rule 208 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, in the exercise of its functions, a Committee may order for the arrest and confinement of an uncooperative witness for purposes of investigation by a competent authority or cite any person for contempt of Parliament.
Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee has given Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu until tomorrow to appear before the legislators or risk arrest.
The Committee is investigating the mismanagement of iron sheets meant for the people of Karamoja.
The minister has on two separate occasions failed to appear before the Committee to help with the investigation.
“We gave her two invites and she didn’t turn up yet it was based on her request. [On Friday last week,] she gave an excuse that she [was] appearing before CID (Criminal Investigation Directorate). We know what is happening around us. There are other parallel investigations which are also ongoing,” the committee chairperson, Ms Jesca Ababiku (Adjumani Woman MP), told NTV-Uganda, a sister station of this publication, last Friday.
She added: “We have been giving her opportunities based on her request so we strongly believe that she will appear latest Tuesday. If she fails, we shall invoke the rules. Yes, we shall because she is a primary witness and she is the minister in charge of the Karamoja.”
According to rule 208 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, in the exercise of its functions, a Committee may order for the arrest and confinement of an uncooperative witness for purposes of investigation by a competent authority or cite any person for contempt of Parliament.
Ms Ababiku further revealed that her Committee was yet to meet about eight ministers before they start writing their report tomorrow.
The demand for the minister’s appearance follows the Committee’s tight deadline to prepare a comprehensive report as the legislators are already behind schedule.
The report was expected to be presented on the floor of Parliament last month.
Background
Ms Kitutu on March 3, appeared before the same Committee and apologised over the diversion of iron sheets.
Last Friday, the minister was meant to make another appearance to clarify the names of the alleged beneficiaries of the iron sheets.
In an October 13, 2022 internal memo to the under-secretary, Karamoja Affairs minister Kitutu named 12 senior and junior ministers and 16 MPs from the sub-region as beneficiaries of the roofing materials. Also on the list are 23 legislators from Bugisu Sub-region.
A separate hand-written list dated March 24, shows that some 172 institutions and individuals, among them ministers, legislators, religious and chief administrative officers, received an average of 50-800 pieces each.
