By Bwayo Geofrey – Bulambuli
The recent conviction of Agnes Nandutu, former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, has stirred deep unease in me. While corruption must never be condoned, justice must be impartial and applied evenly. What we are witnessing in Uganda is not the triumph of accountability but the persecution of one individual while others implicated in the same scandal remain untouched.
Hon. Nandutu was found guilty of diverting 2,000 iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja. The court dismissed her defense that the sheets were intended for Bududa landslide victims, ruling instead that she unlawfully retained government property. She now faces the prospect of imprisonment. Yet the scandal was never hers alone. It was a web of diversions involving several high-profile leaders. We all heard reports of iron sheets being taken to schools, private estates, and even goat farms. The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, allegedly directed sheets to her school. These revelations were public and damning, but where are their prosecutions? Why is Nandutu the only one punished?
Justice cannot be selective. If the Anti-Corruption Court is serious about restoring integrity, then all implicated leaders must face equal accountability.
To single out Nandutu is not justice, it is scapegoating. It is the deliberate sacrifice of one figure to appease public anger while shielding others with greater political clout. That is not the rule of law; it is the rule of convenience.
I do not deny that Nandutu accepted the sheets without proper verification. But even in her defense, she claimed they were meant for Bududa’s landslide victims, a humanitarian instinct, however misguided. Compare that to leaders who brazenly diverted relief materials for personal gain. If intent matters in justice, then surely her case deserves a more compassionate lens.
Ugandans are watching, and what they see is troubling. A justice system that punishes one and protects others erodes public trust. It breeds cynicism, fuels suspicion of political motives, and weakens the moral authority of institutions meant to uphold integrity. If corruption is to be fought, it must be fought across the board, not selectively.
That is why I believe Nandutu deserves a pardon. Not to excuse wrongdoing, but to highlight the inconsistency of her prosecution. A pardon would send a powerful message that justice must be fair, that accountability must be universal, and that Uganda will not tolerate selective punishment. More importantly, it would force the system to confront the uncomfortable truth that corruption cannot be uprooted by sacrificing one individual while shielding others.
Agnes’ conviction should have been a turning point in Uganda’s fight against corruption. Instead, it has become a symbol of injustice.
Until all leaders implicated in the iron sheets scandal are held to the same standard, her imprisonment will remain a stain on our justice system.
We deserve better. We deserve a justice system that punishes wrongdoing wherever it is found, not one that bends to protect the powerful.
In this light, pardoning Nandutu is not just mercy, it is a demand for fairness, consistency, and the restoration of public trust.
The Writer is a Mumasaba and key opinion leader in the Elgon zone.
