Politics
Iron Sheet Scandal Haunts Former Karamoja Ministers as They Lose NRM Primaries
The lingering shadow of the infamous Karamoja iron sheet scandal has come back to haunt former ministers Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, both of whom have lost their bids to retain the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In Thursday’s NRM primaries, Kitutu, the MP for Manafwa District and former Minister for Karamoja Affairs, was defeated by newcomer Annet Musibika. Meanwhile, in Bududa, her successor and former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, lost the NRM flag to Agness Shiuma, who polled 44,090 votes to Nandutu’s 25,097.
Their defeat marks a significant blow to their political futures, with observers pointing directly to the corruption scandal that has dominated headlines since 2023. The iron sheet saga involved the diversion of pre-painted iron sheets that were meant for vulnerable households in the Karamoja sub-region but were instead found in the hands of high-ranking government officials, including ministers and MPs.
Mary Goretti Kitutu, who was at the centre of the scandal, has faced court charges for corruption and causing financial loss to the government. Her ongoing trial has been widely followed, and the public’s disillusionment appears to have translated into electoral rejection.
Nandutu, too, has been grappling with allegations of dealing in suspect property related to the same scandal. In one particularly damaging moment during her campaign, she was heckled and branded a thief at a rally. In response, she retorted that she was “not a thief” because she “had not stolen from anyone’s house”—a statement that went viral but did little to repair her public image.
“The saga partly led to the failure of the MPs to secure the flag,” said Wilson Watila, former LCV chairperson for Bududa. “When people speak and air out their minds in public, like they did in Bududa, it is clear that they have never forgotten what happened.”
However, Watila also pointed out that the NRM primaries were marred by irregularities such as vote rigging, bribery, and violence, suggesting that the election process itself was not entirely fair. “There is no clear measurement you can use now until the people speak loudly in the general elections,” he said.
Andrew Nakhaboya, a journalist based in Bududa, agreed that the scandal impacted Nandutu’s popularity, though he noted she at least tried to explain herself to voters. “Unlike Goretti in Manafwa, Nandutu owned up to her mistake. But her explanations fell on deaf ears,” he said, also alleging that registrars in Greater Bushika Sub-County manipulated votes.
Stephen Masiga, a researcher and spokesperson for the Bugisu Cultural Institution, noted that Nandutu’s loss went beyond the scandal. “Agnes was being accused of arrogance and calling her voters poor. For Kitutu in Manafwa, it was mainly the iron sheets that dented her public image,” he said.
Masiga added that in the broader Bugisu sub-region, several MPs faced defeat largely due to corruption scandals and failure to deliver on campaign promises.
The loss of the NRM ticket is a severe setback for Kitutu and Nandutu, who were once key figures in the ruling party and wielded considerable influence. Without the NRM’s backing, their path to re-election in 2026 is now more uncertain, although they may choose to run as independents.
The iron sheet scandal, however, continues to reverberate beyond courtrooms—serving as a potent symbol of public frustration with corruption, and a clear signal that voters are increasingly willing to hold their leaders accountable.
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