Outgoing Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has announced that she will not contest for the Speakership of the 12th Parliament.
Among said the decision followed “wide consultations and deep introspection” aimed at maintaining harmony within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
“I wish to categorically and unequivocally state that I will not be offering myself for the Speakership race of the 12th Parliament,” Among said.
She thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the NRM party, Members of Parliament, her family, and friends for supporting her during her tenure as Deputy Speaker and Speaker over the last five years.
Among also pledged support to candidates endorsed by the President and the party.
“I pledge my total support to the candidates who will be endorsed by the President and the Party, and implore all colleague MPs of the 12th Parliament to do the same,” she said.
She further stated that she would continue cooperating with investigations by state agencies into allegations that have recently emerged against her.
The statement comes after security and investigative agencies conducted searches at Among’s residences in Kololo and Kigo over the last 48 hours.
Pressure on Among intensified after reports emerged that she had purchased a Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly worth about Shs3.4 billion.
The reports sparked widespread debate on social media, with many Ugandans questioning the source of the funds used to acquire the luxury vehicle.
The issue gained further attention after the Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commented about the vehicle on X.
In one of his posts, Gen. Muhoozi said he had never owned or travelled in a Rolls-Royce despite being the President’s son, adding that President Museveni had also never used such a car.
Later, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) withdrew its earlier support for Among and announced that it would instead back the candidate endorsed by the President.
The political debate intensified further after Gen. Muhoozi publicly endorsed Defence Minister Jacob Oboth-Oboth for the position of Speaker of Parliament.
Among, who previously belonged to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), left the party in 2016 and contested as an independent candidate for the Bukedea Woman MP seat.
In 2020, she officially joined the NRM and was later elected Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament.
However, just a month into office, then Speaker Jacob Oulanyah fell ill and later died, paving the way for Among’s rise to the top parliamentary position.
She has served as Speaker for the last four years after defeating former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga in a highly contested race that sharply divided supporters from both camps.
