Prime
Museveni lauds Among for steering Parliament
President Museveni chats with Parliament Speaker Anita Among ahead of the State of the Nation Address at Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala on June 6, 2024. PHOTO/ FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
- The United States of America issued sanctions against the Speaker and two former ministers; Dr Mary Gorreti Kitutu, also Woman MP for Manafwa, and Ms Agness Nandutu, over corruption allegations.
- Last year, Speaker Among presided over Parliament to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Act,2023 and has since been facing criticism from rights activists.
President Museveni has commended what he called a good working relationship between the Executive and the 11th Parliament under the stewardship of Ms Anita Annet Among.
Addressing the nation yesterday, President Museveni observed that in the past, there existed a tendency of some actors who took advantage of Parliament to undermine the Executive.
“I want to salute the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and NRM [National Resistance Movement] MPs. In the past, there was a risky and shallow tendency by some actors that would try to use Parliament to undermine the Ugandan revolution, which is part of the African revolution,” President Museveni said.
He added: “This, of course, was a miscalculation that was provocative, but we managed to handle it peacefully. Right honourable Speaker and your team, I congratulate you for working harmoniously with the Executive… I am told that some of the foreigners are saying that [Ms] Anita Among, because she doesn’t undermine the executive, is not a good Speaker because she should be okulemesa (undermining) the government.”
Last year, Speaker Among presided over Parliament to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Act,2023 and has since been facing criticism from rights activists.
The human rights activists and pro-gay groups have criticised the Ugandan government for enacting what they called one of the world’s harshest laws against same-sex relations, as an obstacle to marginalised groups, especially sexual minorities, to live freely and also access critical services, including healthcare.
Currently, the United States of America has issued sanctions against the Speaker and two former ministers; Dr Mary Gorreti Kitutu, also Woman MP for Manafwa, and Ms Agness Nandutu, over corruption allegations.
Ms Among has repeatedly denied the corruption allegations.
She has said the allegations are a smokescreen by the West, and that she has been targeted and placed under sanctions due to her role in presiding over Uganda’s controversial Anti-homosexuality Act, which prescribes a death sentence for aggravated homosexuality.
Early this year, the Speaker was criticised by several activists in what was termed ‘Uganda Parliament Exhition’, which focused on the Speaker’s and Parliament’s expenditure on allowances, among other items.
