By Golooba Richard, a Political analyst
Towards the end of the 10th Parliament tenure, as information started leaking about the possibility of Hon Anita Annet Among becoming Speaker of Parliament, many stories started emerging from all corners either intended or well planned by unknown people to the public or maybe known within the political circles. Ugandans have in the recent past resorted to well-planned, promoted, and financed “malicious gossip” a tool used to undermine, drag, and fail those who are perceived as successful or threats to their plans or ambitions, using the so-called spin doctors’ political “rent boys.
These schemes are an “equivalent of the poison pen-letter – an anonymous attack by someone scared of honest confrontation”.
MORALITY
It really bothers me and many silent individuals about the morality of all these outbursts and unreseached messages on many socials like X, Facebook, Watsup etc over the many allegations- like recruitment of relatives, out of the roof payments, expensive wheels among many. Surprisingly, these attacks are seemingly well coordinated, timed, and equally funded by unknown people whose goals remain a top secret. Plainly speaking, the whole business stinks. If anyone is displeased with the conduct or wants to know about any issue should seek information from the right office, as on payments and allowances paid to public officers, its public information, you can get from many sources, so let’s learn to look people in the eye to know the truth.
The allegations that the speaker of Parliament earns $160,000 annual salaries and allowances PLUS $240,000, for 2 months of official “abroad leave” thus a total of $400,000 annually, by some people is untrue and a scandalous outburst.
TIMING
As the National Resistance Movement (NRM) moves to start a country wide fresh update of the membership register, as part of its roadmap in preparation for the 2026 elections, why is there a spirited attack on the Speaker? Could it be an inside work? Is it the opposition working behind curtains? Or Potential Candidates for Speakership 2026 at Work?
Some sections of NRM senior officials have not come to terms since the 2021 speakership elections, and the subsequent elevation of Rt Hon Anita Annet Among to Speakership after the death of Rt Hon Jacob Oluanyah, they allege that these are new entrants into NRM and have now become Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who are likely to be there for some good time, hence availing no opportunity for others as long as the party chairman is still a player in the politics of the country. There is a school of thought alleging that the frontbench has over time felt embrassed, undermined and at times not supported by the speaker during plenary, where many times their statements have been rejected or shot down, this has put many in the spotlight with the possibility of being dropped by the appointing authority, there is a likely would that they are fighting back through underhand means to undermine and discredit the speaker.
Could it be Bukedea District politics taking a national outlook, just last year during the byelections for the District Chairperson, President Museveni cautioned against politics of malice and hatred as he met Bukedea NRM LCV aspirants, saying they bleed divisionism. “I want to advise you political managers, be careful with your tongue if you want to unite the people. I don’t want that type of politics,” H.E Museveni said.
President Museveni who is also the National Chairman of the ruling NRM Party told the meeting that for all the time he has been around since the 1960’s and in leadership, he has been able to succeed because he has no malice against anybody. “Therefore, get rid of malice. If I was to have bad plans, Idi Amin’s family would be in exile now but they’re here and are all members of my party,” the President said.
That election was eventually won by Ms. Akol Mary, but a few key figures were later arrested on the orders of high offices over allegations of intimidation, and ballot stuffing among others, could they be on a revenge mission now to soil her reputation?
WHO IS ANITA ANNET AMONG*
Born in Bukedea District on 23 November 1973. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, from Makerere University, in 2005. In 2008, she was awarded a Master of Business Administration degree, also by Makerere University. In 2018, Among graduated from Kampala International University, with a Bachelor of Laws degree. She worked with Centenary Bank and served as a lecturer in accounting, at Makerere University Business School and Kampala International University.
For two parliamentary election cycles in 2007, when Bukedea District was created, and in 2011, Among lost the District Woman Representative seat to Rose Akol of the National Resistance Movement political party. Among was a long-time member of the opposition FDC but ran in 2016 as an independent candidate and won, which she did again as NRM candidate in 2021.
She declared her bid for the Deputy Speakership of the 11th Parliament of Uganda, and after serving for a short period she was elected as the new Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda on March 25, 2022, replacing Jacob Oulanyah, the former Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, who died in Seattle, Washington.
