A recent report by the Auditor General has exposed lapses in the implementation of Affirmative Action Programs in Karamoja by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). The findings reveal a failure in coordinating and monitoring the distribution of goats, earmarked for disadvantaged regions, resulting in a shortfall of intended beneficiaries.
Karamoja, among the regions targeted for assistance, was set to receive goats during the financial years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, with a disbursement of 25.3 billion shillings allocated for the initiative. However, the Auditor General, John Muwanga, and his team discovered that the OPM did not utilize 1.16 billion shillings intended for goat procurement during the FYR 2022/2023.
Out of the 73,900 goats procured, only 73,708 were distributed, with some beneficiaries receiving as few as one goat instead of the intended 16. The report highlights a lack of adequate planning and supervision, leading to challenges such as delays and a failure to account for goats. Interviews with beneficiaries revealed that the supplied goat breeds struggled to survive Karamoja’s weather conditions, resulting in higher death rates.
The Auditor General also criticized the OPM for inadequate needs assessment, contributing to the overall implementation challenges. The report indicates that the lack of planning led to delays in procurement, delivery, and proper accounting for the goats.
Furthermore, the report delves into the controversial iron sheet scandal involving Ministers Goretti Kitutu, Agnes Nandutu, and Amos Lugoloobi. The trio faced arrest and detention over allegations of misappropriation. Muwanga’s audit of the procurement and distribution of 35,164 iron sheets for the financial years 2022/2023 revealed that only 43% of the sheets were distributed, with the rest worth 1.47 billion shillings remaining in OPM stores in Namanve.
Kitutu, in a letter to the President, claimed that more iron sheets had been disbursed and distributed in Karamoja than the audit indicated. The Auditor General, however, found discrepancies and highlighted weaknesses in the planning and execution of the intervention. The delayed distribution of iron sheets, attributed to ongoing investigations by anti-corruption agencies, was deemed to undermine the intended purpose of the procurement.
The report has sparked debates, with some calling for an overhaul of the OPM, which has been marred by scandals.
