Dear people of Bududa, in 2021, I advised Hon. Agnes Nandutu discouraging her from taking up the appointment. One of the major reasons I advised her not to do so was because of conflict of interest.

As a newly elected first time member of parliament I knew it would be tough for her to balance the pressure of serving and representing her electorate; while at the same time executing her role as minister of an affirmative action docket for a region and people who have been marginalized by successive government administrations for decades.

I did point out to her, moreover, that ‘outsiders’ as ministers for Karamoja affairs is a status quo that the Karamojong did not like at all. This is because it is inevitable that the ‘outsiders’ will choose their own “people back home” over the Karimojong.

People of Bududa, it is against the law for “her love to help homeless people back home” by stealing that which was intended for Karamojong. She is not innocent and should not be released unconditionally. In fact, above all she is the more guilty.

As a minister for Karamoja affairs, in fact, she was the duty bearer with the primary responsibility to have stopped the theft of iron sheets for Karamoja. And if she was defeated in her endeavor to do so, she had the responsibility to have been the whistle blower who informed anti-corruption agencies about it.

Sadly, this justification of corruption – “love to help homeless people back home” type – has become the accepted norm for many government programmes. Not only by politicians, technocrats too.

Featured photo @ USAWA FRONTIERS participants in the second Karamoja Women’s Conference in December 2022. Hon. Agnes Nandutu and Dr. Kitutu were invited to attend in their capacities as ministers for Karamoja Affairs. They did not attend; did not send an apology; and told the women of Karamoja that there was no money in the budget of the Ministry for Karamoja Affairs to support the women’s conference.