Appear tomorrow or we arrest you, Parliamentary Committee Orders Minister Kitutu.

The Parliamentary Presidential Affairs Committee has given Mary Goretti Kitutu, the Minister of Karamoja Affairs, an ultimatum to appear before them by tomorrow or risk being arrested.

The committee is investigating the mismanagement of iron sheets that were meant for the people of Karamoja.

The Minister has failed to appear before the committee twice already, and the committee has the power to order the arrest and confinement of uncooperative witnesses or cite them for contempt of Parliament.

“We gave her two invites and she didn’t turn up yet it was based on her request. [On Friday last week,] she gave an excuse that she [was] appearing before CID (Criminal Investigation Directorate). We know what is happening around us. There are other parallel investigations which are also ongoing,” the committee chairperson, Ms Jesca Ababiku (Adjumani Woman Mp) said.

She added: “We have been giving her opportunities based on her request so we strongly believe that she will appear latest Tuesday. If she fails, we shall invoke the rules. Yes, we shall because she is a primary witness and she is the minister in charge of the Karamoja.”

The committee is yet to meet with eight other ministers before they can start writing their report tomorrow.

The report was initially supposed to be presented to Parliament last month, and the committee is already behind schedule.

Kitutu had previously apologized for the diversion of iron sheets and was expected to appear before the committee last Friday to provide further clarification on the alleged beneficiaries of the iron sheets.

 In an internal memo dated October 13, 2022, Kitutu named 12 senior and junior ministers, 16 Mps from the sub-region, and 23 legislators from Bugisu Sub-region as beneficiaries of the roofing materials.

Additionally, a separate hand-written list dated March 24, showed that 172 institutions and individuals, including ministers, legislators, religious figures, and chief administrative officers, received an average of 50-800 pieces each.