UK sanctions damage Speaker Anita Among

What it means for her second term prospects

COVER STORY | IAN KATUSIIME | Since the UK announced a barrage of sanctions against the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, there has been an attempt by her supporters and some government of Uganda officials to put a brave face to her fate. But other voices are comparing her predicament to what befell former high flying Ugandan individuals whose careers appear to have been cut short by similar sanctions.

Names being mentioned include Sam Kutesa, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose career as a top player in international diplomatic circles, including at the United Nations in New York, collapsed after he was indicted in the U.S. In Speaker Among’s case, commentators are looking at her prospects of getting a second term as Speaker in 2026.

On April 30, a year after Among as Speaker presided over parliament to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Act, the UK dropped sanctions on her head. “It is the first time the UK government has used the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime on individuals involved in corruption in Uganda,” a statement from the UK. said.

UK Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell announced the sanctions on the Speaker, and two former ministers facing corruption cases. The ministers are Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu who allegedly stole thousands of iron sheets used for roofing and infrastructure from a Ugandan government-funded project aimed at housing some of the most vulnerable communities in the region, providing them to prominent politicians and their families instead.

Sanctions are purposefully put to cause financial difficulties to the target individual. They do not only deny individuals entry into the sanctioning country. As in Among’s case, they often allow for seizure of any of the sanctioned person’s assets held in the country. They also prevent the sanctioned person from entering into transactions with businesses in the country, including banks.

Additionally, many businesses outside of the sanctioning country with subsidiaries in that country start to treat the sanctioned persons with increased scrutiny and suspicion. Many reject transacting with them to avoid damaging relations with the sanctioning country as they may also be accused of violating sanctions.

When America imposed sanctions against Gen. Kale Kayihura in 2019, his immediate family members were sanctioned and designated. In Speaker Among’s case, the scope of sanction could suck in her husband, Budiope East MP Moses Magogo who is also a high flier as president of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).

The UK statement said the sanctions entail a travel ban to the UK and an asset freeze. This could mean pretty much any transaction that has its origins in the country or affiliation to a UK based financial service/service provider such as an airline, a hotel or even an online retailer.

Mitchell said “The actions of these individuals, in taking aid from those who need it most, and keeping the proceeds, is corruption at its worst and has no place in society. The Ugandan courts are rightly taking action to crack down on those politicians who seek to line their own pockets at their constituents’ expense.

He added, “Today the UK is sending a clear message to those who think benefiting at the expense of others is acceptable. Corruption has consequences and you will be held responsible.”

Museveni’s next move

As soon as the sanctions were announced, there was a flurry of statements from the Minister of Information, Parliament and from MPs who leapt to Among’s defence. Minister Chris Baryomunsi said Uganda is a sovereign country capable of dealing with its own internal challenges.

Chris Obore, the Director of Communication at Parliament, said “The iron sheets have been used as a ruse to conceal the real, unstated but clearly obvious reason for the sanctions which is the Rt. Hon. Speaker’s stance on the recently enacted Anti-Homosexuality Act.”

Another MP, Jonthan Ebwalu, Soroti West, was more brazen in his defence of the Speaker. “The UK is selectively issuing these sanctions. We had scandals like CHOGM. No one was sanctioned”

A lot of the defence of the Speaker has centred on her rallying Ugandans against the LGBTI community. Little however has focused on the implications of the fact that she is now under both US and UK sanctions—two countries at the heart of the global financial order—meaning she would be inhibited from partaking in the vast part of the international financial system and by virtue of her position, Uganda would be affected through trade and investment deals.

The most important move will be that of President Yoweri Museveni and it will be around the position of Speaker after the 2026 general elections.

In Kutesa’s case, Museveni stuck with him for four years after he was implicated in a corruption case in the U.S. during his time as President of the UN General Assembly. After he was implicated around 2017, Kutesa took a low profile as minister of foreign affairs since he was on the radar of U.S. law enforcement and by extension, that of its many allies.

Kutesa had held the Foreign Affairs docket for 16 years, was a relative by marriage to President Museveni and was regarded as a member of the inner circle of Uganda’s ruling elite. But commentators say the U.S. sanctions put Museveni at crossroads regarding Kutesa, who was suddenly viewed by some as a pariah internationally.

Museveni attempted to keep him in cabinet but eventually dropped him in 2021 as diplomatic pressure intensified on the Ugandan government through travel bans and visa denials.

Among now finds herself in the same spot of bother as Kutesa. And according to analysts as the next election cycle heats up, President Museveni might be weighing the value of sticking by a lame duck Speaker of Parliament.

The government of Uganda is already doing a lot of firefighting for its reputation internationally since the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Additionally, the theft of iron sheets scandal where Among was named last year cranked up the pressure on the first term Speaker.

A few months ago, Among came under more fire after revelations of her alleged binge spending using taxpayers moneys emerged during the UgandaParliamentExhibition, an anti-corruption campaign that was run on social media platform X. Aired out were allegations of tonnes of cash Among had used purportedly for personal enrichment.

The reaction of the public was one of condemnation and anger as majority of Ugandans endure the tough economic times while she lavished on new cars and extravagant shopping. As MPs strongly defended her including some ministers, the public lambasted her for her insensitivity to the plight of ordinary Ugandans who cannot afford a meal.

As public anger crested, it was hard to read President Museveni’s mood. He kept silent for a while and appeared unbothered although there were reports he had been briefed with files of the Speaker’s record on his desk.

Then in a rare show of support, Museveni publicly defended the Speaker perhaps surprising even those who were baying for her blood. “People like (Speaker) Anita Among are not the problem,” the President said while commissioning a hospital the Speaker built in her Bukedea constituency. “The real problem we have is the traitors working for foreigners.”

Museveni had showed a different side last year as Among’s scandals peaked. A letter he wrote after a June 14 by-election held in Bukedea District sent some signals on the sentiments he could have developed towards Among, who doubles as the Bukedea District Woman MP.

In a rare move in a case where the ruling party candidate won with a landslide, Museveni complained that the polls were marred by violence, theft, and electoral malpractice.

Elections under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have been marred by violence, and by-elections have not been spared. But what stood out in Museveni’s letter was his apparent concern by the violence being meted out by NRM and government officials.

The real target in Museveni’s letter appeared to be Among who was heavily involved in the election in her home district.

In the June 26 letter, Museveni directed Brig. Henry Isoke, Head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, to “investigate these claims (about violence, theft and electoral malpractice) and if any criminality was committed, take action and report back”.

Following Museveni’s letter, the State House Unit arrested Bukedea RDC William Tukei, the District Police Commander Charles Okoto, Gombolola Internal Security Officer Maimud Oluka, who are all Among’s top aides. They were charged with murder and aggravated robbery alongside five other suspects.

Some interpreted the crackdown on the Bukedea team as an attempt to tame Among who since becoming Speaker had focused on building a power centre of her own.

Among is in her second term as MP and in just three years as a top member of the ruling NRM party of President Museveni, she seems determined to put her stamp on it. As a backbencher from 2016 until she was elected Deputy Speaker in 2021, she cultivated a closeness to Museveni that became her winning card. When she was first elected to parliament without opposition, she is said to have made an impression on Museveni with her mobilisation skills and power brokering abilities.

However Among’s scandals and being the champion of the gay law could remain her Achilles Heel. An announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken of a travel ban on Ugandan individuals in December 2023 served as a reminder. No other Ugandan government official has been sanctioned by both countries, which leaves the Speaker in a pickle.

Speaker Among damaged

The UK sanctions are particularly damaging for Speaker Among and the Uganda Parliament as they limit their potential to be players on the international parliamentary circuit.

The Speaker might also possibly be barred from attending the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference slated for Sydney, Australia in November.  This is mainly because the strong relations between Australia and the UK mean the former could follow the latter’s move and sanction her.

The Sydney conference will also include a meeting of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) and the 67th CPA General Assembly. In 2023, the UK and the US simultaneously cancelled the Speaker’s visas to the two realms.

Already, Among has missed the Commonwealth Day annual celebrations attended by all 56 countries in the Commonwealth on March 11 in the UK and celebrations to mark 75 years since the creation of the modern Commonwealth on April 26 also in the UK.

Former Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, often flew the Ugandan flag high on these international fora.  This was despite her being the initial mover of the Anti-homosexuality legislation.

Kadaga in September 2019 was approved as the president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Kadaga also was Inter-Parliamentary Union President, African Region; Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, and Executive Committee Member of the Inter Parliamentary Union representing the African region.

Speaker Among has recently shone as the Host Speaker of the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) countries that was held on Jan. 03 at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala.

But in March, Among was pushing for the relocation of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association headquarters from London to Kampala. This was at the 86th CPA Africa Region Executive Meeting held in Protea Hotel in Entebbe.

She told delegates that the CPA Africa Region should reject the Status of CPA as a charity organisation in the United Kingdom (UK) since Africa has more charitable causes due to colonialism, imperialism, unfair trade, and climate change disasters than the UK.

“Africa should desist from contributing resources in the form of subscription fees to a charity organisation in the UK. It is not fair and it is not right. This meeting should decide that enough is enough,” she said.

Uganda had earlier submitted her bid to host the CPA headquarters on October 04, 2023 during the 66th CPA conference in Accra, Ghana.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association consists of 180 branches consisting of national parliaments and sub-national legislatures of the Commonwealth member states. The branches are divided into nine regions, Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands and Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic, India, Pacific, and South East Asia. The CPA Africa Region is the largest amongst the 9 regions of the Association.

The UK sanctions were announced just days to the Second African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on family, values, and Sovereignty that was held on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe on May 02.

The conference widely viewed as an avenue for African legislators to chart ways of fighting against homosexuality was under the theme “Reaffirming our family and cultural values”. It should have been an opportunity for the Speaker to shine but she delegated.

Still, in her written speech that was read, she remained hawkish.

“Even when the rest of the world was against us. This is because we are a Godly nation that respects the sanctity of marriage ordained between a man and woman for the intended purpose of procreation and companionship,” she wrote.

“These Europeans should not take advantage of our poverty to exploit and colonise us again. We should not take their sugar-coated grants. If they threaten our independence and erode our cultural norms,” said Among.

It was vintage Among. In late 2021 while still Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Among offered a glimpse of the kind of leader she is, “I will not be intimidated by anybody. I am emotionally strong and I want to assure you that I am Deputy Speaker for the next 10 years,” she said. “I want to ask the women leaders not to be intimidated by those who want to bring them down.”

Among who was new in the top tier of the government, was facing scrutiny as the first slew of scandals she was to face came to public light.

That November, a dossier by a whistleblower was received by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) calling for a forensic investigation into the conduct of then-Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.

It was one of several dossiers that made the rounds online accusing Anita Among of soliciting for bribes and also accusing her of extortion from different government officials and business people.

The allegations were attributed to the outsized role Among had carved for herself at parliament and in national politics.

Hardly three years later, Among is Speaker of Parliament but also deeply engulfed in scandal and sanctions. She has shown that she is a hard nut to crack but her increasing troubles may force even her cherished defenders to think twice about her prospects as the third most important person in the country.