Published on 28/07/2024
Speaker Anita Among has rejected calls for her resignation from young Ugandans who have accused her of corruption and abuse of office. She labeled these critics as self-seeking individuals wasting government resources and demonizing Parliament.
Among made the comments on Sunday, June 28, 2024, during the opening of the Shs2.7 billion St. Charles Lwanga Kigarama Church in Mitooma District, a project funded by Deputy Speaker Tayebwa and his business associates.
The event also celebrated the 80th birthday of Tayebwa’s father, Daudi Bangirana.
In her speech, Among asked rhetorically, “Resign and go where? I still have one term to serve. When I finish, I will hand it over to my younger brother Thomas.” She defended Parliament against accusations of corruption, emphasizing that MPs are not accounting officers and that the alleged thefts do not originate in Parliament.
During the church service, Among remained defiant, dismissing the accusations and pledging to complete her term before passing the role to Tayebwa. She praised Tayebwa as a committed Deputy Speaker and urged Mitooma residents to re-elect him.
Among also accused the protesters of undermining Uganda’s values and criticized their motives, noting that the protests were fuelled by personal agendas aimed at disrupting Parliament’s relationship with the Executive.
“The government may make mistakes, but that does not justify marching and wasting resources,” she said. “The 11th Parliament decided to work with the President, and there is no longer any conflict between the Legislature and the Executive.”
Among dismissed rumors of infighting between her and Tayebwa, highlighting their 20-year-long political journey from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
After her speech, Among made a plea to President Museveni to protect Parliament from public criticism, assuring him of Parliament’s unwavering support.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa addressed the guests, defending the decision to construct the church at a cost of Shs2.7 billion. He revealed that most of the funds were raised from his friends in the business community, with Shs1.7 billion collected in a single meeting.
Tayebwa had initially planned the church as a tribute to his late grandmother, Katima Tiruhongyerwa Omurara Muntu wa Kagunga, who passed away at the age of 99 in March 2022. He expressed gratitude for the support he received from Speaker Among and other friends.
President Museveni, in his address, cautioned against the politics of identity, urging politicians to focus on solving people’s problems. He emphasized that the NRM’s mission is to address issues such as health, education, and infrastructure, rather than improve individual resumes.
Tayebwa’s father, Bangirana, thanked God for his long life, reflecting on his own father’s death at 35 and the responsibilities he took on at a young age.
Lambert Bainomugisha, Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese, urged Ugandans to emulate Deputy Speaker Tayebwa by using resources responsibly to build God’s kingdom. He emphasized the importance of frugality and gathering resources for the greater good.
