Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija on Tuesday returned iron sheets that he had fraudulently obtained from Karamoja Affairs Ministry, under the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
The iron sheets were delivered back to the Office of the Prime Minister’s warehouse in Namanve Industrial Area by his delegates.
Speaking to reporters in Namanve, Mr. David Kayongo, a senior assistant secretary for finance and administration at OPM, said Kasaija returned the iron sheets but were less by two. Mr. Kayongo has been stationed at the OPM’s Namanve stores to monitor the process.
“He brought back 298 out of the 300 iron sheets. He has promised to bring the balance,” Mr Kayongo said.
Kasaija is the fourth minister to return iron sheets, following State Ministers for Defense Jacob Oboth-Oboth, State Minister for Finance and Planning Amos Lugoloobi, and Speaker Anita Among.
500 pieces were returned by the Speaker’s crew, while Lugoloobi and Oboth-Oboth returned 600 and 300 iron sheets, respectively.
President Museveni instructed more of the ministers involved in the scandal to return the mabaati (roofing items) or money of equal value in a letter he sent on April 3.
By the time of publication, Kasaija was unavailable for comment. The minister’s bodyguard instead answered the phone when we dialed his known phone number and claimed the minister was delayed in a meeting.
On March 1, Kasaija testified in person over the iron sheets he apparently was given by the Office of the Prime Minister before the Parliament’s Presidential Affairs committee.