The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and Prime Minister Robinah Nabajjanja might face another round of police interrogation after investigations revealed new information in the ongoing probe against the misuse of iron sheets meant for Karamoja sub-region.

According to security sources, the investigators are getting new and useful information about the scandal which has rocked the country. ” We can’t rule out speaking to all officials mentioned in the probe including the Speaker and the Prime Minister,” the source said.

The Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga didn’t respond to our repeated calls. But the source said the speaker, Prime minister, Vice President Jesicca Alupo, former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Third Deputy Prime minister Rukia Nakadama were interrogated from their offices two weeks ago unlike other ministers who reported to police.

The decision to interrogate the top five government officials involved in this iron sheets scandal was ordered by President Museveni to avoid embarrassing them.

The other ministers mentioned in the scandal are Karamoja Minister Goretti Kitutu who is out on bail, State minister for Planning Amos Lugoloobi currently on remand at Luzira Prisons and State Minister Minister for Karamoja Agnes Nandutu who had snubbed the police summons but later turned herself in on Tuesday.

Others 

The investigative teams had to move to the locations of these top officials. But the source said there is a lot of information being picked from the field and new lines of inquiry are being established by the investigative team.

Others include State minister Jacob Oboth Oboth, government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and Ethics and Integrity Minister Lucy Akello, State Minister for Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi among others.

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President Yoweri Museveni has summoned the Notational Resistance Movement- NRM legislators to discuss the just passed Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023.

“The purpose of this letter is to invite you for the meeting of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus which will take place on Thursday at State house Entebbe. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss among others the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023,” Denis Obua, Government Chief Whip said.

Last month, parliament unanimously passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 which aims at among others protecting traditional families by prohibiting sexual relationships between people of the same sex, strengthening that country’s capacity to deal with emerging threats to the traditional family, protecting the cherished culture of Uganda and protecting children and youth who are vulnerable to sexual abuse.

It also seeks to criminalise same-sex relationships with a liability of imprisonment of two to 10 years for homosexuality, aggravated homosexuality, attempted homosexuality, aiding and abetting homosexuality, conspiracy to commit homosexuality and other related practices.

The Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 was passed by Parliament on December 20, 2013 with life in prison substituted for the death penalty. Whereas it was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni on February 24,2014, the Constitutional Court on August 1,2014 annulled the law citing that it was passed without the required quorum in the House.

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The National Unity Platform party (NUP) has amended its constitution limiting all party leaders and all elected members under the party flag to two five-year terms in the same position.

The announcement was revealed in the ten (10) constitutional amendments reached on April 15,2023 during an extraordinary meeting of its Delegates Conference at the Party’s new premises in Makerere – Kavule.

The party revealed, “The Constitution imposes two five-year term limits on all Party leaders as well as all elected leaders under the party flag. This means that a person cannot be a Party President, Party Chairperson or Secretary General for more than two terms. Likewise, a person cannot be a Member of Parliament or Councilor at the same level under the NUP flag for more than two terms. This provision will be operational beginning with the next elective term.”

However, a person can still be the presidential flag-bearer of the party, even if he or she is no longer the President of the Party. Likewise, term limits do not apply to a person who stands for elections at any level and is not declared a winner, but they apply whenever a person wins an election.

The meeting which was attended by over 66% of its members also passed other amendments as follows;

1) The Constitution eliminates the President and Secretary General’s nominees to a Delegates Conference and expands the composition of the Delegates Conference from the current 150 members to more than 500 members, depending on the number of elected leaders the Party has at the level of MP, Mayor, and Local Government District Chairperson. All NUP District Chairpersons and District Secretaries for Women Affairs are now members of the Delegates Conference. The Diaspora is also represented through the Diaspora Leadership Council.

2) The Constitution provides for a representative National Executive Committee that largely comprises of representatives for special groups, i.e. Women, Youth, Institutions, PWDs, the elderly, professionals and the informal sector.

3) In addition to ordinary membership, the Constitution introduces honorary membership which shall be awarded to not more than three persons in any given year. It shall be awarded by NEC only to persons who have made a contribution to the values and objectives of the Party in a significant manner.

4) The Constitution sets in place structures for the Party from village level to the national level. It establishes Committees and Conventions right form the village to the District, and the District leadership is represented at the Delegates Conference.

5) The Constitution introduces the position of Party Chairperson and Deputy Party Chairperson elected by the Delegates Conference. Their role is to chair the Delegates Conference, carry out some diplomatic functions as mandated and be generally responsible for cohesion and conflict resolution amongst senior leaders.

6) Given the hostile environment under which we operate, the Constitution provides for various options of candidate selection which may include holding party primaries, vetting of candidates or a combination of approaches. In case the Party decides to hold primaries, the Constitution lays down the Electoral Colleges (Party Structures) responsible for election of flag bearers at different levels.

7) The Constitution introduces an Advisory Council comprising of former Party Presidents, Party Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons, Deputy Presidents, Secretaries General, former leaders of Government Business or Leaders of the Opposition and all honorary members. The role of the Council is to advise and give guidance on the general direction of the Party at any time.

8) The Constitution introduces 10 departments and corresponding committees, through which the work of the Party is to be done. Whereas the Constitution empowers the President to appoint heads of departments and some other offices within the Party, their appointment (and removal from office) shall be with the approval of the National Executive Committee.

9) The Constitution makes it difficult to amend certain provisions of the Constitution, especially those related to term limits, the mode of election of the National Executive Committee as well as those relating to the dissolution of the Party.

The Party’s Code of Conduct and Integrity Oath are annexed to the Constitution.

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The Anti-Corruption Court has charged Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Amos Lugoloobi and remanded him to Luzira Prisons until April 20.

Lugoloobi was nabbed last week over allegations related to the mismanagement of iron sheets which were meant for the impoverished people in Karamoja. He reportedly used the 400 iron sheets to roof animal shade at his farm in Bbaale. He is the second minister to be charged over the iron sheets with the first being the minister for Karamoja Mary Goreti Kitutu.

Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Grade One, Albert Asiimwe, Lugoloobi was charged with two counts of dealing with suspect property contrary to Section 21 (a) of the Anti-Corruption Act.

Prosecution avers that between the 14th day of July 2022 and 28th February 2023 at the office of the Prime Minister’s stores in Namanve in Mukono district, He dealt with government property- 400 pre-painted iron sheets marked Office of the Prime Minister having reason to believe that they were acquired as a result of loss of public property. The minister however pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

Through his lawyers, Lugoloobi didn’t relent, he applied for bail. Lugoloobi contented that he is suffering from hypertension, Diabetes, and is fresh from a heart surgery which was conducted last year. During his arrest, he had just arrived from Agha Khan Hospital.

Presenting seven sureties who included Namutumba District woman MP Mariam Naigaga; Former State Minister for Health (Primary Care) and EALA legislator James Kakooza; Kiboga County MP Kefa Kiwanuka; Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of National Planning Authority; Paul Mugamba,  Lugoloobi, Moses Kalangwa the Chairman of NRM Kayunga  district and Martin Ssekajja, his application was turned down.

“I am mindful of the fact that Justice delayed is justice denied and Justice hurried is Justice Barrett. There are several documents that the court cannot analyze now. I want to borrow the interest of both parties and also to ensure that the decision to grant or not grant bail is judiciously arrived at court would require ample time to study the documents and authorities cited by the parties. For this reason, the ruling on this date application is reserved for 20th April 2023 at 12 noon,” he ruled.

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