Speaker Among on a charm offensive

If a Member of Parliament (MP) wants to be scorned in the House, they should attempt to raise the issue of alleged profligacy in Parliament.

First, it was Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo who framed it as debate on the recent parliament exhibition, an online campaign led by activists Agatha Atuhaire and Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, in which they published documents showing leaders in Parliament were apportioning themselves millions of shillings via various bank accounts of parliamentary staff, saying it was meant for corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The leaked documents also exposed the Shs500 million “service award” that was given to former Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Parliament, now parliamentary commissioner, Mathias Mpuuga.

When Parliament resumed business in March, there was some expectation that Speaker Anita Among would attempt to address the accusations, but she instead ordered the House to concentrate on the ministerial statements and budget estimates for the next financial year.  

In attempting to force Parliament to debate the issue,   Ssekikubo reminded Among that she had promised that it would be debated after the Easter holidays.

“There is an issue of parliamentary exhibition wherein allegations were made about the profligacy of the commission of this House whereupon the allegations of a handshake to the commissioners was debated where about backbench commissioners were given money ranging from Shs400 million to Shs500 million and you undertook, Honourable Speaker, that an opportunity will be availed to us to have this matter thoroughly debated and concluded and put to rest,” Ssekikubo said.

Ssekikubo was quickly shut down by Kazo County MP Dan Kimosho who said Parliament can’t discus everything that’s published in the media. 

“If that’s the trend, Hon Ssekikubo is my neighbour. His constituency immediately borders mine. On a daily or weekly I have heard news on our local radio talking about Hon Ssekikubo being a land grabber and facilitating land grabbing. I have never taken it as an issue yet his participation at whatever level tarnishes the image of this Parliament. I have never thought that what you pick from the media becomes an issue for debate,” Kimosho said amid protests from Ssekikubo who has been in Parliament since 2001.

Once Kimosho was done with attacking Ssekikubo, Among dismissed whatever the Lwemiyaga MP had raised.  

“By the time I leave my house very early in the morning, I have come for serious business. Let us dispose of some ministerial policy statements,” she said.    

The Speaker wasn’t short of allies as many MPs stood up to support her decision to overlook Ssekikubo’s complaints. 

“Right Hon Speaker, you have already made us proceed with the next item and in your wisdom, Right Hon Speaker, what has been brought in front of you by Hon Ssekikubo can’t be discussed now in this Parliament,” Ms Judith Alyek, the Kole Woman MP, said. 

After Ssekikubo had been dismissed, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the LoP, told the House how he wasn’t happy with how the Lwemiyaga MP was ridiculed.  

“Hon Speaker, last week something bothered me. One of our colleagues stood and raised concerns about how commissioners sat in a meeting and shared money among themselves and how money is used in this institution and then [you] Hon Speaker referred to his submissions as nonsense. I found that wrong. I found that unparliamentary and with due respect honourable I would like to urge you to apologise and withdraw that statement,” Ssenyonyi, the Nakawa West MP, said.  

Ssenyonyi received a mocking response from Among. 

“Whereas you found it wrong, there’s something that’s pending that’s supposed to be answered first: where honourable Kazo [Kimosho] made allegations. If you want me to apologise to you, I know you are a very big person, you are the Leader of the Opposition, I’m sorry.”

Charm offensive
Shutting down of the debate in Parliament has gone together with a charm offensive that included a grand opening of a teaching hospital in her constituency, with the chief guest being President Museveni, who was at the time rumoured not to have been impressed with the Speakers handling of finances at Parliament.

“I have been hearing some people attacking her and other MPs. These young MPs, most of them are learners. They come from the university and because of democracy, they are elected. Sometimes, they may be excited, get loans and get into debt. Sometimes they make other mistakes, but within the NRM, we always get together and see how we help out people and help them out of the mistakes they may be involved in,” Museveni said, adding that Uganda’s problem is homosexuality, not Among.  

“How can you talk so much on social media about Anita Among? How about those working for foreigners? We are going to expose those traitors. I want to salute Anita Among, whatever she may want to know I will tell her because we are all here, we all live here you don’t need to put her on social media, that means there’s something wrong with you,” Museveni added.  

Among used the function to heap praises on the President.

“Because of the support you gave to us as Anita Foundation, we have been able to ensure that the hospital supports the community, and because it supports the community that leads us to the money economy. We are treating people for free using the money we get from the school. Your Excellency, thank you for being the father of this nation, without you I don’t know where this country would be,” Among said.

Before Museveni could go to Bukedea, in a show of power, Among had held a massive rally in which she assured the detractors who wanted her out of office that she had Museveni’s support. 

“These people who say that I should resign, did they put me as a Member of Parliament? My voters are here. And my President is supporting me. And I want to ask the people of Bukedea to pray for our President. Pray for your country, pray for your Speaker,” she said, later insisting that those who are against her are supported by pro-homosexuality groups.  

“By the grace of God, those who think they are going to continue fighting us will be put to shame. And I’m not going to calm down on the issue of homosexuality. I will continue condemning them. This business of bum-shafting people’s children must stop. The issue of fighting me on social media and then you say Anita resign, resign and go where?”    

Thereafter, Among went to Mengo where she led a group of MPs in calling upon the public to participate in the recently concluded Kabaka Birthday run which was aimed at raising money to aid in the fight against HIV.

“As we conclude, Ow’ekitiibwa [Katikkiro Mayiga] what you are doing isn’t an easy thing. If it was possible we would also one day do the same thing. And I want to request my Members of Parliament that you also get a conviction that the kingdom has,” Among, who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and MPs from Buganda such as Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe), Muhammad Muwanga-Kivumbi (Butambala County), Medard Lubega Sseggona (Busiro East), among others, said.

Among also made a much-publicised visit to the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole which has been under renovation following Uganda’s bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations, but the upgrades have taken time.

Among tasked the UPDF Engineering Brigade to ensure that they complete the works within two weeks such that CAF inspectors reassess the stadium.  

And this week, the Speaker presided over the launch of the 13th Rotary Cancer Run. The goal of the event is to raise Shs4 billion to build a radiotherapy centre at Nsambya Hospital. Parliament committed to contribute Shs1 billion towards the completion of the radiotherapy centre.