Museveni orders probe into Speaker Anita Among’s UK houses

Museveni early this month, ordered three government agencies and the Ugandan Embassy in the UK to ascertain whether the Speaker does own properties in the European nation and to advise the next best course of action.

In a May 2nd letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the president said he had learnt from the British High Commissioner Kate Airey that “Anita Among has got a house or houses in UK and has got bank accounts from which she pays school fees for her children who are studying there.”

The British envoy had requested an urgent meeting with the President to alert him about sanctions that her government was about to slap on Speaker Anita Among and two former Ministers Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu over their involvement in the iron sheets scandal.

President Yoweri Museveni publicly defended Speaker Anita Among at the launch of her health facility in March pulse uganda

The news that the House Speaker owns properties in the UK appears to have caught the President by surprise.

“... the issue of houses would be very interesting if, especially, Anita Among did not declare them in her Leadership Code documents,” Museveni wrote.

“If she had declared them, then the next issue would be how she got the money to build them. If these two are answered correctly and show no mistake, the remaining issue would be political, and ideological judgement.

“Why would a Ugandan leader build or buy houses in UK or anywhere else abroad, when Uganda, the still under-developed country where she would have earned the money, still needs those investments?” queried the president.

“It would definitely be a moral and ideological mistake. I, therefore, told the High Commissioner that the Uganda Government would demand from the UK Government more information about this. Attorney-General and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advise on how this can be done and the appropriate authority to go ahead and do it.”

Reactions

Ugandans, particularly those who questioned Speaker Among’s wealth for the past months welcomed the President’s actions with sensing her possible removal from office.

“A reference of the (Anita Among)’s UK houses saga to the Leadership Tribunal might give us a second Ken Lukyamuzi saga over loss of a public office for failure to declare property (false declaration) -interesting space to watch,” said Dr Sarah Bireete, the head of the Center for Constituional Governance.

“After reading that letter of Mr Museveni, I now believe the old man has mastered the art of war in classic way, after giving Hon.Anita Among free ticket to ruin herself, living pompously, stepping on toes, losing public sympathy, just one master stroke of Leadership CODE ACT 2002,” wrote one Haruna Kiyemba.

Some other Ugandans however, have expressed reservations about the intentions of the President.

Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, one of the online campaigners against Among and the Institution of Parliament said it was too early to celebrate Among’s downfall.

"It’s too early to celebrate President Museveni’s letter. Too early! There are multiple directions it can take," he wrote

Journalist Agather Atuhaire another mastermind of the online campaign against Among also expressed reservations, saying there was “nothing to celebrate about this letter.”

President Museveni's letter is reproduced below:

2nd May, 2024

Hon. Jeje Odongo

Minister

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

KAMPALA

RE: UK SANCTIONS ON RT. HON. SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT AND TWO FORMER MINISTER

On Tuesday at 1000hours, I met the British High Commissioner at her request for an urgent meeting. The meeting was at Nakasero but I was on my way to Entebbe for other meetings. I, therefore, did not have time to discuss with anybody the issue.

The High Commissioner told me that they intended to sanction the Hons Kitutu and Nandutu for their roles in the mabaati issue. I would like, by the copy of this letter to ask the Attorney-General the legality of this action since this is a purely internal matter for Uganda. The alleged theft was discovered by our Aternal agencies and the Uganda courts are handling the case. The accused are not yet convicted. How do other countries come into the matter? Attorney-General advise. She also told me about sanctioning the Rt. Hon. Anita Among. I said: "Why?" She said that Anita Among has got a house or houses in UK and has got bank accounts from which she pays school fees for her children who are studying there. I told her that the issue of houses would be very interesting if, especially, Anita Among did not declare them in her Leadership Code documents. If she had declared them, then the next issue would be how she got the money to build them. If these two are answered correctly and showing no mistake, the remaining issue would be political, ideological judgement.

Why would a Ugandan leader build or buy houses in UK or anywhere else abroad, when Uganda, the still under-developed country where she would have earned the money, still needs those investments? It would definitely be a moral and ideological mistake. I, therefore, told the High Commissioner that the Uganda Government would demand from the UK Government more information about this. Attorney-General and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advise on how this can be done and the appropriate authority to go ahead and do it.

Meanwhile, by the copies of this letter, I request the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and Minister of Integrity to inform me if the Rt. Hon. Anita Among declared in her forms of the Leadership Code her owning of a house or houses in the UK. The issue of bank accounts I told the High Commissioner may not be a serious issue if she sent legitimately earned money to support the children who are, legitimately, studying there.

All concerned to note the contents of this letter and act where required.

Yoweri K. Museveni

PRESIDENT

Copy to:

Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament

Attorney-General

Ambassador Minisha Madhvani

Inspector General of Government (IGG)

Minister of State for Integrity