In a shocking turn of events, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has fled to her country home in Bukedea after reports emerged that President Museveni had ordered an investigation into her wealth hidden in the United Kingdom.
The sudden retreat came after Among’s handler, Joseph Sabbit, invited parliamentary reporters to cover her being counted in the ongoing census exercise at her Kampala residence. However, he later recalled the message, stating that the Speaker had left Kampala at breakneck speed to attend to “urgent issues” in Bukedea.
Sources close to the matter revealed that Among had learned of an order to probe her hidden wealth by security forces and the Inspector General of Government, Beti Kamya. This move follows President Museveni’s expression of shock and concern over the revelation that Speaker Among owns luxury houses in the United Kingdom, questioning how a public official could afford such expensive assets when Uganda still needs those investments.
“Why would a Ugandan leader build or buy houses in the UK or anywhere else abroad, when Uganda, the still under-developed country where she would have earned the money, still needs those investments?” President Museveni said in a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Jeje Odongo.
The President’s move comes amid growing concerns over corruption and illicit wealth among public officials in Uganda. The revelation of Speaker Among’s UK properties has sparked a heated debate in the country, with many calling for transparency and accountability from public officials.
The UK government recently announced sanctions against Speaker Among, freezing her assets in the UK and imposing a travel ban. The UK government cited concerns over corruption and illicit wealth and said the sanctions were aimed at combating corruption globally.
“I am told that I have many assets in the UK and lots of accounts in the UK. Unfortunately, I have only been in the UK once. I don’t even have a pussycat in the UK,” Among said as she opened plenary sitting on Friday in her first verbal reaction to UK sanctions imposed on her and two former ministers.
Among insists that the sanctions are politically motivated, citing the passing of the Anti-gay law in 2023. “These sanctions are politically motivated…The Bill that you [MPs] passed in this House… We are carrying a cross. I’m carrying a cross for 48 million Ugandans,” she added.
The investigation is ongoing, and many are eagerly awaiting the outcome to see if Speaker Among’s denial will be vindicated or if she will face consequences for allegedly hiding her wealth.
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