- Ejoyi says that OPM is too convoluted and conflicted to play its oversight role
Image: Courtesy Photo
Members of the civil society have asked President Yoweri Museveni to consider restructuring the office of the Prime Minister to address the levels of corruption that have continued to escalate.
This is in reaction to the corruption scandal of Karamoja iron sheets which involves senior Cabinet Ministers including , Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija among others.
The Action Aid Country Director, Xavier Ejoyi noted that it is very disturbing for an ordinary person to see what is unfolding in the office of the prime minister.
He added that, the Office of the Prime Minister is too convoluted and conflicted to even play its oversight role to other government ministries, agencies and departments, which calls for restructuring.
Ejoyi also noted that, this new scandal is an opportunity for the office of inspectorate of the government to prove itself that it is speaking to the needs of Ugandans.
Besides members of the civil society ,opposition Members of Parliament including Mukono North’s Abdallah Kiwanuka ,Mityana Woman Mp Joyce Bagala among others urged President Museveni to sack all the ministers involved in the scandal.
The OPM is charged with the coordination of government ministries, departments and agencies to ensure the effective delivery of services to the people of Uganda.
Details from that office indicate that during the financial year 2021/2022, the department of Karamoja Affairs obtained a supplementary budget to support the peace and disarmament exercise in the sub-region and part of the budget was spent to procure iron sheets.
More than 95,000 iron sheets were procured out of which 25,514 were released and 71,144 remained in store.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Olive Kamya has since taken up the investigation and the Speaker of Parliament ,Anita Among who was initially also mentioned among the beneficiaries directed the Presidential Affairs Committee to carry out an inquiry into the matter and report back in one month.