Karamoja: Forgive us our trespasses

A few days ago, I watched one media house’s full interview with Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. The interview came at the height of allegations of wanton misappropriation of aid in form of iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja by various Cabinet and State ministers. 

Ms Nabbanja not only heads one of Uganda’s biggest ministries but contemporaneously doubles as the leader of government business, making her the default superintender of all the ministers named in the jamboree of irregular giveaway of the iron sheets. 

Her cavalier attitude during that interview is similar to many appearances of hers that we have witnessed at musical concerts, the latest being that of award winning artist Eddy Kenzo and a plethora of other musical events. By any inch, her body language, largely reflected by laid back seating posture did not in any way indicate somebody who felt compassion for the many in communities in Karamoja that would go without a roof over their heads because of irregularity under her watch.

It cuts a stark contrast to the Nabbanja that we saw following news of a lady who had been sentenced for failure to pay a debt by a magistrate in Mengo. At the time, she had the following morning, hurriedly run to the scene of the plot in contention and ordered the review of the file. 

Against any viable legal procedure, she laid siege at Luzira Prison, immediately ordered the release of the lady and cleared her debt presumably out of deep compassion. She then summoned all the line magistrates involved in the matter and admonished them for subjecting a vulnerable widow to such great anguish, pain and mental disdain. 

For a moment, she did not care that this very action would rub the other arms of government the wrong way, particularly the Judiciary. She stood her ground, and willfully exerted undue influence and to bail out the vulnerable lady. True to form, it didn’t take long for the Chief Justice to raise concern regarding the “mob” that Nabbanja had “commandeered” against Judiciary. 

In the current instance, however, the Prime Minister appearing on this referenced TV talk show was a shadow of the Nabbanja we saw in November. How times change? How could one oversee a broad day plunder of aid and show no remorse? If anything, she justified the diversion of the iron sheets, stating emerging needs by political leaders to meet the demands of their electorates, some so far from Karamoja.

Karamoja over the years has been replete with marginalisation to an extent that specific affirmative ministries have been structured purportedly to address this inequality. 

Absurdly, there has been an upward trend in misappropriation of aid in the sub-region. The NRM government must address the Karamoja question; first, by holding accountable those implicated in the iron sheet scandal where evidence earmarked with confessions by implicated ministers most of who have admitted to having received these iron sheets and used them for purposes other than those provided for. 

Most ministers have resorted to strategic ambiguity, with the Finance minister alleging before a parliamentary committee investigating this matter that “I did not ask for these iron sheets, they found themselves in my compound.” 

Ambiguity is being instrumentalised to avoid accountability and aid deniability. While it is understood that there are various investigations around the issue, it’s counterproductive to investigate the same people whilst they still hold the offices. 

With the current stranglehold on most civil society organisations, who will speak boldly for our people in Karamoja? Our brothers and sisters of Karamoja may forgive those who commit trespass against them, but how I pray that beyond the hope of time, action against trespassers will finally vindicate them.

Edward Serucaca Jnr is a lawyer and advocacy strategist.