In Defense of Speaker Anita Among: A Call for a Nuanced Approach to Fighting Corruption

In the midst of a fervent quest for accountability and good governance, it is crucial to distinguish between genuine crusaders and self-serving zealots. The recent frenzy of finger-pointing and public lynching of Speaker Anita Among, without concrete evidence or due process, reeks of a misguided vendetta rather than a sincere fight against corruption.

As we navigate the complex landscape of corruption and malfeasance, let us not forget the principles of fairness, impartiality, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Let’s learn to separate myth from reality, and make a compelling case for why Speaker Anita Among deserves our support and admiration, rather than unwarranted condemnation. Let’s also learn to separate hatred, jealousy and bitterness from genuine societal concerns.

In President Museveni’s statement issued yesterday on the fight against corruption, he has sparked a renewed debate on the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling this scourge.

While some have been quick to single out Speaker Anita Among for criticism, it is essential to examine the evidence and the law to ensure that we are not targeting individuals unfairly.

Recent allegations leveled against Speaker Among have been largely based on misinformation and a lack of understanding of the parliamentary processes. For instance, the procurement of generators at the Speaker’s residence was a decision made by the Parliamentary Commission, not the Speaker alone. Moreover, the Speaker’s office has been transparent about its expenditures, which are audited by the Auditor General and approved by Parliament.

As the President rightly pointed out, the accounting officers responsible for government funds are the Permanent Secretary in a Ministry, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in a district, town clerk in a city or Municipality, Gombolola Chief in a sub-county, and managing Director in a Parastatal (Article 226 of the Constitution). In the case of Parliament, the accounting officer is the Clerk to Parliament, not the Speaker. It’s therefore imperative that as a public, we cast a close eye on those other than focusing a dig on Mama Bukedea!

Actually, I am afraid that the lost focus and flogging the wrong horse, is likely to make it difficult to catch the rightful thieves, because it’s giving them time to clear the trace!

To be specific, those fighting Speaker Among are missing the point by:

• Focusing on individual expenditure rather than the larger picture of a probable corruption in government institutions
• Ignoring the legal framework that governs parliamentary processes
• Targeting the Speaker without evidence of any wrongdoing

The President’s message is clear: we need to widen the scope of our fight against corruption to all institutions of government, starting with the accounting officers at the grassroots. We must avoid an individualized approach that targets specific persons without proof.

Let us heed the President’s call and work together to stamp out corruption, ensuring that we build a fair and just society for all Ugandans. For God and my Country.