The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among has said she is not bothered by the UK sanctions against her since she doesn’t need anything in the United Kingdom.
Responding to the sanction, Among said as long as she can move freely to her home area in Bukedea, everything else is background noise.
“I have always said that I have a permanent passport to Bukedea and Buyende district. I don’t need a visa. So, honorable members, you need to be very firm and fight for your position. Just imagine it is your kid who is being sodomized. I have interacted with some officials and we have gotten to know what the sanctions are about. At an appropriate time, the Head of State will also respond to it because it is an indictment on the Parliament of Uganda,” Among said on Friday.
She said the sanctions including freezing of her assets in the UK are misplaced.
“I am told that I have so many assets in the UK and lots of accounts in the UK. Unfortunately, I have only been in the UK once. I don’t even have a pussycat in the UK. I am not worried. And if they feel that I have property, go ahead and freeze them and see if I will complain. Even a pussycat, you can freeze it.”
The UK government earlier this week announced sanctions against trio over their involvement in the iron sheets scandal.
The said iron sheets had been bought using part of the shs39.9billion supplementary budget which was meant for disarmament and community empowerment program in Karamoja but were shared amongst government officials, including ministers.
In its sanctions, the UK government said it was targeting those who were stealing from the vulnerable.
“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,” said Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell.
However, responding to the sanctions, Among insisted that they are scapegoating her for Parliament’s passing of the Anti-Homosexuality law.
She however said she doesn’t regret the same.
“These sanctions are politically-motivated. I am carrying a cross for the 48 million Ugandans because of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill we passed in this House.
This may not be the only ban. Another one will come in the pretext of corruption and [many] others but we serve a living God. We will always not allow b** shafters in Uganda.”
