The State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, Evelyn Anite, has declared she will not be contesting for any parliamentary seat in 2026.
In an interview with NTV, Anite openly shared her frustration with the financial burden that comes with active political campaigning and constituency work.
“I find it very difficult to just wake up, which I used to do, go to the Bank and withdraw 100 million, drive to Koboko two days, I blow the money, and I will not even know how to account for it,” she said.
Anite recounted a particularly extravagant political drive in her constituency where she spent an enormous amount within days.
“I remember that I did some stupid things, get money. The worst was when I got 500 million and blew it in now in one week. I mean, you’re opening roads, you’re giving it to the different women’s Saccos, you’re giving it to the education fund that I had started, and then Boda boda groups, people by the roadside.”
She added that at one point, she physically walked through town handing out cash from her bag.
“I remember that I put, I put shs5 million in my in my bag, and I started walking from my home, because my house is in town. And I walked past town but every stage I would just give money and I remember I would give like, shs50,000 out to different people and out of will,” Anite explained.
The former Koboko Municipality MP said that the pressure to give was constant.
“You arrive in the constituency, that very evening, people will come to you, and they, when they approach you, your mind is already set in, in a way that they’re coming to ask for money before they ask for anything, you are touching your pocket and giving.”
When asked whether she would return to elective politics in 2026, Anite said, “No, because I am so deep in business and working for President M 70, I think that’s more important than going to ask for reports. My businesses need me to do.”
She, however, left a slim door open for the future. “No, if I ever go back, I will run politics in a different way,” she noted.
During the 2020 NRM primaries , Anite lost the Koboko Municipality NRM flag to Dr.Charles Ayume.
Anite who had earlier declared herself the gateway to Koboko couldn’t imagine what had befell her and in the following days, she withdrew the ambulance she had donated to help transport mothers to health centres in order to reduce the rate of maternal fatalities.
Later, she conceded defeat saying, “all is well, we put up a good fight but we have lost.”
She however said she would not stand as an independent.
