By Isaac Okeng
In December 2021, Uganda’s Parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shs 39.948 billion with the objective of promoting peace and improving livelihoods in Karamoja sub-region, historically challenged by insecurity and poverty.
Within this allocation, Shs 25 billion was designated for the procurement of goats for distribution, while Shs 8 billion was allocated for 100,000 iron sheets. The remaining funds were intended for mobilization and sensitization efforts.
The beneficiaries, primarily reformed cattle rustlers locally known as Karachunas, were each promised 16 goats under this agreement.
Initially, this appeared to be more than just aid; it seemed like a strategic intervention poised to transform lives.
Francis Lowoth, the retired Commissioner of Karamoja Affairs, recalled that the President’s objective was to provide goats capable of survival, particularly those resistant to disease and drought, such as the Gala goats.
“His specific interest was in the Gala goats. The concept was enticing, leading us to request funding. While the total request was substantial, the initial disbursement of Shs 39 billion was approved,” Lowoth stated.
In Abim District, the OPM goat project was structured to distribute 18,000 goats throughout the region.
The selection criteria stipulated that 15 youths per parish would each receive 16 goats.
The program also aimed to ensure sustainability, with beneficiaries expected to breed the goats and distribute offspring to other community members.
However, according to district-level and sub-county sources, only 4,100 goats were actually delivered, representing a small fraction of the intended quantity.
“The project was designed for gradual implementation across all sub-counties. However, districts engaged in indiscriminate distribution, selecting individuals without adhering to established procedures,” Lowoth explained.
In Abim, where there were no Karachunas, district leaders opted for a lottery system, effectively opening the project to all rather than limiting it to Karachunas.
Some leaders even manipulated the lists to include relatives. “Each of the 15 youths per parish was supposed to receive 16 goats, yet none reached Morulem,” stated Opio Cecerino, LC3 Chairperson of Morulem Sub-county, expressing his frustration.
“We engaged in meetings with district officials to seek clarification. We were instructed to await the arrival of our goats, but they never materialized.”
Opio blamed corruption for the shortfall. “I am convinced that the funds allocated for our goats were misappropriated by a few corrupt individuals”.
“The letter from the district, bearing 12 signatures, was patently misleading,” he said. “In the future, government programs should ensure the full involvement of local leaders, as we are directly accountable to the community,” Opio suggested.
Animal Health and Mortality Concerns
Veterinary officers immediately raised concerns upon the arrival of the initial goat batches.
David Amoding, a community development officer in Kotido, reported a high incidence of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious viral disease affecting small ruminants, among the delivered goats.
“We were promised 16 goats each, but received only five, all of which perished within a month,” said Rev. Caleb Omony, while speaking from his office in Abim Sub-county.
He lamented about the unfulfilled promises, noting that his community was slated to receive 1,420 goats; however, only 430 were delivered.
Rev. Omony said a significant number arrived already afflicted with illness, leading to the infection and subsequent death of over 1,000 local goats within weeks. “This initiative, intended to alleviate poverty, has instead exacerbated our hardship,” lamented Rev. Omony.
He observed that the situation in Abim Sub-county was particularly acute as the goats began dying within one week of arrival.
Recounting the ordeal, Rev. Omony said, within a month, the majority had perished.
Compounding the issue, the disease spread to local goat populations when beneficiaries mixed the government goats with their own, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 local goats.
Conversely, Abuk Town Council did receive goats; however, the quality and management of the animals have raised significant concerns.
Okello Richard Walter, LC3 Chairperson of Abuk Town Council, said the goats were delivered in a debilitated state.
“Some were already sick, and others perished during transport to the beneficiaries’ residences. Upon distribution, all the animals exhibited red eyes, which turned green the following day, and they began to die,” he explained.
According to Okello, the primary issue was the disregard for veterinary protocols.
He highlighted that regulations dictate that animals should be quarantined for a minimum of two to three weeks for vaccination and monitoring prior to distribution; however, these goats were immediately distributed upon arrival, a negligent act that contributed to their mortality.
Procurement Deficiencies
A monitoring report indicated that the program procured goats at inflated prices, reaching Shs 800,000 per animal.
This finding prompted concerns, as local leaders and Members of Parliament reported that the market price for goats in Karamoja typically ranged from Shs 100,000 to Shs 150,000.
Lowoth stated, “According to OPM costing, an improved goat was valued at Shs 700,000, a Gala goat at Shs 3.1 million, and another type at Shs 800,000.
Although these costs were deemed inflated, and verification teams reportedly approved deliveries despite the goats being undersized or diseased, Lowoth stated that district veterinary officers certified all deliveries, and the OPM subsequently processed payments to suppliers.
Oversight and Accountability Deficits
The project was characterized by inadequate local oversight and a lack of recipient training.
Audit processes experienced delays and lacked transparency, and the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) did not commence investigations until March 2023.
Lowoth further stated, “District officials also compromised the process by signing documents attesting to the complete delivery of goats, even presenting this information to Parliament.
A key issue was that leaders were aware of the problems but remained silent.”
In March 2023, the IGG initiated an investigation into the OPM’s management of relief items.
A six-member committee, led by Justus Kaleebi, was tasked with investigating procurements for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 financial years.
The IGG’s investigation specifically addresses allegations of corruption related to both the iron sheet and goat distribution components.
The commission stated that whistleblowers provided information indicating that goats were purchased at inflated prices, delivered while diseased, or not delivered at all.
However, by the time these complaints were raised, matters pertaining to the iron sheets scandal were already before the courts.
Parliament opted not to debate the goat report due to its overlap with ongoing iron sheet court cases.
The report remains with the Local Government and Public Service Committee, chaired by the Woman MP for Adjumani, but it has not been debated and therefore remains inaccessible to the public.
Financial Losses
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) strongly criticized the program.
According to the Nile Post, PAC members asserted that all of the over 73,000 goats procured under the Shs 25 billion program have since died.
They estimated the financial loss resulting from these mortalities to be over Shs 19 billion.
This figure was disclosed during hearings on the Auditor General’s report for the 2022/2023 financial year.
As pressure intensified, several senior officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and local administrative officers have been referred for criminal investigation.
Concurrently, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, through Joyce Babirye, the OPM’s Principal Communications Officer, publicly mandated a concurrent investigation into both the goat and iron-sheet procurement scandals.
Karamoja Members of Parliament (MPs) are advocating for a comprehensive forensic audit, commissioned by the Presidential Affairs Committee, to trace the flow of funds, identify suppliers, and hold accountable individuals responsible for financial mismanagement.
Ambrose Toolit, Executive Director of the Grassroots Alliance for Rural Development (GARD), offers a critical perspective on the initiative’s shortcomings.
“Contrary to some programs where decisions are made without involving the local community or assessing their needs, I advocate for the inclusion of local populations in determining the objectives of any program or project intended for their benefit”, urged Toolit.
He continues, “Karamoja is not a homogenous region. It comprises distinct agricultural zones: the western belt, characterized by its verdant and productive landscape, requires support related to agricultural production, the middle belt, and the arid belt.
Consequently, any intervention must be tailored to the specific needs dictated by the geographical characteristics of each zone.
Toolit also underscored the need for the government to compensate families who experienced livestock losses (or did not receive their allocated goats) are entitled to compensation, whether through livestock replacement, financial restitution, or alternative forms of support.
This investigative article was produced by an Abim-based Journalist/ Podcaster Isaac Okeng, with grant from the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) under the Media Support for Public Accountability and Civic Engagement in Uganda (M-SPACE) project.
