Although he got some iron sheets, the Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija has denied every asking for them from anyone.
While appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee in Parliament on March1,2023, Kasaija insisted that he neither applied for the iron sheets nor asked for them.
“Some one rung me and said, Hon. Kasaija, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is donating iron sheets to you and I have some papers which I will bring to you. So, the next thing I saw, the iron sheets delivered to my home. Even now there is a bundle of 300. I don’t know how it came into my compound,” Kasaija said
He added, that he accepted to take the iron sheets because he was told it was to support his Constituency, and when they were delivered, he gave out 450 iron sheets to a school.
“The balance is still in my store and I am looking for who I should give it to. So please crucify me knowing that I’m totally innocent. I never asked for the iron sheets, the iron sheets found themselves in my compound.”
During the committee, Kagadi woman Member of Parliament Hon. Mbabazi Janepher Kyomuhendo however requested that procedurally, Minister Kasaija and his team should be given time to return tomorrow, with detailed information.
“I think we are incapable of discussing this report as Committee since it does not entail all that is required,” she noted.
Matia however insisted that he follows the Constitution and that these questions should be fired at the Office of Prime Minister.
He adduced, “First of all, I didn’t know that these iron sheets were taken away from the Karamoja allocation, particularly the ones here in my home in Kampala. I’m going to return those iron sheets.”
The Committee therefore released him (Kasaija) and asked him to return on Friday with his comprehensive report on his involvement in the iron sheets scandal.
Since last week, the Media has been awash with claims that members of the executive, including Prime Minister Robinah Musafiiri Nabbanja, Vice President Jessica Alupo, and Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, among others, received relief iron sheets meant to help locals in Karamoja sub-region.
In a statement issued on February 15, eight members of parliament from the Karamoja Parliamentary Group accused Minister Ms. Mary Kitutu of diverting iron sheets, goats, and food intended for the Karimojong people.
By Dailystarnewsug.com