Speaker Anita Among
Over the weekend, the speaker of parliament, Anita Among, declared her intention to remain in her position despite growing calls for her resignation.
Speaking at the handover ceremony of St. Charles Lwanga, Kigarama parish in Ruhinda North, Mitooma district, a church built by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and his friends, Among addressed the controversy surrounding her tenure.
Among’s statement comes amid mounting voices accusing her of corruption. On June 22, 2024, she pledged to support the five detained MPs accused of corruption: Lwengo district woman MP Cissy Namujju; Busiki MP Paul Akamba; Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli; Igara East MP Mawanda Michael Maranga; and Elgon County legislator Wamakuyu Ignatius Mudimi.
“I only have one term to serve. When I finish serving my one term, I will give it to Tayebwa to continue. I don’t want to cling to power. I have one term to go, then I hand it over to him. To those calling me to resign, you want me to resign and go where?” she said.
Among criticized the public perception of parliament’s role in corruption, emphasizing that MPs are not accounting officers, and should not be demonized.
“Stealing doesn’t start from parliament. Let’s stop demonizing parliament. When you start marching against corruption, people appreciate it, but we no longer have any conflict with the executive,” she said.
She also praised Tayebwa’s contributions, highlighting his discipline and leadership.
“We want to thank the people of Mitooma for giving us a leader like Tayebwa. He is much more disciplined and knows his role well. We have come very far with Tayebwa from blue (Forum for Democratic Change, FDC) to yellow (National Resistance Movement, NRM), and we are here to stay,” she said.
Among expressed gratitude for the support from President Museveni and the first lady, noting their emphasis on family values. She believes this support has helped the 11th Parliament establish a lasting legacy.
In his remarks, Tayebwa disclosed that the church was built at a cost of Shs 2.7 billion, funded by contributions from friends including Sudhir Ruparelia, Godfrey Kirumira, Hamis Kiggundu and Ben Kavuya. He noted that they raised Shs 1.7 billion in one hour during their first meeting in Kampala.
Archbishop Lambert Bainomugisha of Mbarara Archdiocese, praised Tayebwa’s generosity and encouraged other Ugandans to contribute to community projects.
“This is a formation house where people learn to believe, love God, and one another. Everyone has something to give, and we should embrace the norm of giving back to God,” he said.
The archbishop urged believers to consider alternatives for self-sustenance beyond relying solely on the government.
“With the little resources we have, we can do something to change our communities. We should be responsible in the use of our resources in families, communities, and government positions. We should be frugal in the use of our resources,” he said.
He concluded by commending everyone who contributed to building the church, noting that even remote areas like Kigarama can witness significant.
Source: The Observer
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