Parliament has asked the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to investigate allegations that government-issued hand hoes worth about UGX 20 billion were diverted and illegally sold in Bukedea District, raising fresh concerns over corruption and misuse of public resources in agricultural support programmes.
The allegations are contained in a petition dated January 4, 2026, submitted to the IGG’s Soroti Regional Office by Bukedea County Member of Parliament John Bosco Ikojo. The petition claims that hoes meant for free distribution to vulnerable farming households were intercepted before reaching district stores and instead sold to the public at UGX 2,000 per piece, contrary to government guidelines.
According to the petition, the hoes allegedly ended up in the possession of a local political figure, who is accused of distributing or selling them for personal and political gain. The MP argues that the actions amount to misappropriation of public assets and undermine government efforts to boost household food production.
“This amounts to abuse of office and theft of public property,” the petition states, calling for a full investigation to trace the supply chain, identify those responsible, and recover the losses.
The disputed hoes were procured under a Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) initiative aimed at improving food security among smallholder farmers. In a December 17, 2025 directive to all Chief Administrative Officers, MAAIF announced plans to distribute seven million hand hoes nationwide.
However, funding constraints saw only UGX 20 billion released out of a required UGX 56 billion, limiting the first phase to 2.4 million hoes, primarily targeting districts in the Eastern Region, including Bukedea.
Deliveries began on December 19, 2025, with clear instructions that the hoes be delivered to district stores and distributed free of charge based on household data from the 2024 National Population and Housing Census.
Government officials warned that the hoes were not for sale and that any diversion would attract personal liability.
The alleged diversion potentially violates several laws, including the Public Finance Management Act (2015), Local Government Financial and Accounting Regulations and Stores Management Regulations, which require transparent receipt, storage, and distribution of government supplies.
The IGG’s Soroti office confirmed receipt of the petition on January 5, 2026, saying inquiries had commenced. If substantiated, the allegations could attract sanctions under the Anti-Corruption Act (2009).
Bukedea has previously faced similar allegations. In 2021, a district store manager was arrested over the disappearance of 1,648 hoes under the NAADS programme.
The latest claims have triggered widespread public debate, with citizens and civil society actors drawing parallels to earlier scandals involving diverted relief items, including the Karamoja iron sheets saga. Critics warn that misuse of farming inputs risks eroding public trust and could fuel perceptions of vote-buying ahead of the January 15, 2026 elections.
