For the last two weeks, the #UgandaParliamentExhibiton has been the most trending activity on X. Spearheaded by Agather Atuhaire, Dr Spire Ssentongo, Anthony Natif and Godwin Toko, it has brought to the fore the rot in the 11th Parliament most importantly the mismanagement of public resources.
While revelations over Mathias Mpuuga’s Shs 500 million payment have dominated media headlines, there is no doubt that the biggest spotlight has been cast on the leadership of Parliament led by Speaker Anita Among and her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa.
During a twitter space session this week on the exhibition, Chris Obore, the director of Communication at Parliament said many of the documents being peddled on social media to prove Parliament’s largesse are forged. He did explain how.
In this article we highlight, six shocking revelations about Anita Among and her leadership style that have been brought to the fore by the #UgandaParliamentExhibition.
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Shs 15 million per day as per diem while on holiday
This was the first revelation that sent shock waves and triggered the exhibition in the first place. It was reported that the Speaker had been paid $4,000 a day for the whole of January when she was reportedly in leave. This translated into Shs 450 million for the entire month. It was reported that the money was supposed to facilitate her holiday in Kenya, a holiday that was never taken. This allegation set the tempo for the bruising campaign.
Spending Shs 400 million per week
Another revelation is that the Speaker allegedly uses averagely Shs 400 million per week to fund her activities. This came to light after documents revealed that most of this money is put on accounts of her close confidants and that is then withdrawn in bits. Obore claimed that this money had been deposited on accounts of senior officers who have a greater burden to account. But he did not explain why some of the money ended up on accounts of drivers.
Illegal recruitment
The exhibition has also revealed that a number of staff were allegedly recruited into parliamentary service under the influence of the speaker. The exhibitors claimed that in most cases the positions were never advertised and that some interviews were conducted on weekends. Some of the recruits are alleged to be Among’s relatives, MPs’ relatives and siblings, children of MPs and spouses of MPs.
Mainstream is in Among’s handbag
Like we reported at the beginning of the exhibition, the mainstream media has steered away from the revelations careful to maintain a good relationship with Parliament, which feeds it.
Partly, this is because Among virtually controls and directs the flow of resources to the media. Indeed, some journalists from mainstream media have instead turned against the organizers of the exhibition accusing them of having a hidden agenda against Parliament and Speaker Among.
Parliament is under Among’s thumb
Besides the media, the exhibition has shown that Parliament (MPs and staff) are under the thumb of Anita Among. No one can dare question or criticize her. Given the competition for foreign travels among MPs, she reportedly determines which MP travels where. Even the most vocal opposition legislators like Kira Municipality’s Ssemujju Nganda have been conspicuously quiet about some of the shocking revelation. Clearly, she holds the fate of many in her hands.
Among has thick skin
Lastly is that Speaker Anita Among perhaps has one of the thickest skins of any local politician. As floods and floods of damning accusations have poured in, she has kept quiet leaving her handlers and hangers-on to do damage control. On her part, she has continued to work normally to the chagrin of the exhibition organizers who want her to say something or express some bit of remorse. She has done neither.
