Iron Sheet Scandal Derails Re-Election Bids of Ex-Ministers Kitutu, Nandutu in NRM Primaries

 

The recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries dealt a major blow to the political careers of Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, both former ministers for Karamoja Affairs, who lost their bids to represent the party in Manafwa and Bududa Districts respectively. 

Their defeats come in the wake of their central roles in the highly publicized “iron sheet scandal” of 2023, which involved the diversion of roofing materials meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja region.

What You Need To Know:

Kitutu, who was widely viewed as the mastermind behind the misappropriation, is facing corruption charges and ongoing trial proceedings. 

Nandutu, similarly implicated and charged with dealing in suspect property, has struggled to shake off the damaging public perception despite her attempts at explanation during campaigns. 

Their losses to lesser-known candidates—Annet Musibika in Manafwa and Agness Shiuma in Bududa—underscore the far-reaching political consequences of the scandal.

Public backlash has been intense, with instances such as voters in Bududa openly jeering Nandutu during rallies. 

Local leaders and observers, including former Bududa LCV chairperson Wilson Watila and journalist Andrew Nakhaboya, attribute the electoral defeats largely to the lingering outrage over the iron sheet affair, though they also cite election irregularities such as vote rigging and bribery. 

Researchers like Stephen Masiga point to additional contributing factors, including voter dissatisfaction with service delivery and perceptions of arrogance among the incumbents.

More broadly, the outcome of the primaries reflects a growing political cost of corruption within Uganda’s ruling party. 

The iron sheet scandal has emerged not just as a personal downfall for Kitutu and Nandutu, but as a case study in how accountability issues can reshape electoral dynamics. Their inability to retain the NRM flag signals a shift in voter tolerance, where association with misuse of public resources is increasingly met with electoral rejection.