The optics stink’: Sejusa speaks out after Nandutu sentencing

Sejusa questions why Nandutu alone has been punished in the iron sheets scandal and calls for equal justice for all implicated officials.

Former spy chief David Sejusa has questioned why Agnes Nandutu is the only person punished in the Karamoja iron sheets scandal despite many officials being named.

Nandutu was recently sentenced for her role in diverting iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities, sparking fresh public debate.

Sejusa said he supports fighting corruption but insists justice must be fair, equal, and applied to everyone involved.

He warned that the situation creates a bad public perception and urged President Museveni to revisit the matter to ensure fairnes

Former spy chief and ex-MP David Sejusa has questioned the handling of the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, asking why only Agnes Nandutu appears to have faced punishment despite a wider list of beneficiaries.

In a post shared on X, Sejusa said he once knew Nandutu as a hardworking journalist and described her as a pleasant person. He said he used to tease her about her name, recalling a nightclub in Mbale that had the same name.

He then turned to what he called the “sad part” of the matter. Sejusa said he strongly supports crushing corruption but warned that justice must be fair and equal for all.

“When I look at that list, there is something that does not add up,” he wrote. “Why only Nandutu? Is it possible that all those that appear were innocent, except Nandutu? Possible, but strange.”

THE NANDUTU SAGA:

She seemed to be a very good and hardworking woman to me. She would occasionally interview me when she was still working in the Media. I found her a very pleasant person. I would tease her about her name being the same name like a Nightclub i used to go to in… https://t.co/AW6W3xoT9S pic.twitter.com/KsYlonJ89U

— David Sejusa, DM. (@sejudav) April 14, 2026

His comments come days after Nandutu, a former minister, was sentenced over her role in the diversion of iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja. The case has drawn wide public attention and debate on accountability among top officials.

A list that has circulated in the public domain shows several senior politicians and officials who reportedly received iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister. The names include ministers, Members of Parliament and local government officials.

Sejusa said the issue is not only about guilt but also about perception. He argued that the public may lose trust if justice appears selective.

Gen David Sejusa

“I don’t know about the substance, but the optics stink,” he wrote, calling on President Yoweri Museveni to take interest in the matter again.

The case has drawn wide public attention and debate on accountability among top officials.

A list that has circulated in the public domain shows several senior politicians and officials who reportedly received iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister. The names include ministers, Members of Parliament and local government officials.

Sejusa said the issue is not only about guilt but also about perception. He argued that the public may lose trust if justice appears selective.

“I don’t know about the substance, but the optics stink,” he wrote, calling on President Yoweri Museveni to take interest in the matter again.

The Karamoja iron sheets scandal has remained one of the most talked-about corruption cases in recent years. It raised concerns about how relief items meant for poor communities were diverted to officials.