Kitutu prosecution covering up corrupt officials [EDITOR'S OPNION]

The embattled minister who will face at least 10 years in prison and/or a fine if convicted was charged by the Court with causing loss of public property and conspiracy to defraud.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has been hailed by some for trying to bring her to book.

Kitutu said she is a victim of selective prosecution and refused to cooperate with Police.

The DPP spokesperson, while talking to the media recently, said Kitutu’s case should not be dismissed as selective prosecution. She said what is being done is part of a wider plan to fight corruption in Uganda.

A section of the public, though, doesn’t seem to be convinced by Kitutu’s prosecution and argue that other government officials who took the iron sheets meant for Karamoja be prosecuted too.

On one side, one would argue that Kitutu being the Karamoja Affairs Minister, should be held responsible for what went wrong. True. She has to take the responsibility of what happened mostly because that is her docket.

Other government officials who partook in the scramble for iron sheets, though, are public leaders just like Kitutu. They hold public offices which means they must be accountable to the public.

Letting them walk away only means that the DPP and other government anti-corruption agencies are turning a blind eye on their acts. A vice like corruption is not fought like this.

The public should not be duped into believing that government agencies are now ferociously fighting corruption.

Fighting corruption would mean that whoever is involved in the act, despite their stature, power and money, be brought to book.

Kitutu’s prosecution is a cover up of the real corrupt – we can choose to call them the “real big fish.” The people taking home more than just iron sheets. The people stacking away government funds meant to build roads, schools, hospitals and in some cases meant to pay low rank civil servants’ salaries.

We may not break down names here, but these are the people that need to be forked out and brought to book.

The DPP can start with charging all government officials who took Karamoja iron sheets.