DRAMA IN PARLIAMENT!! Anita Among Makes First Appearance in 83 Days as Investigation Clouds Refuse to Clear

Troubled former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among on Tuesday resurfaced in parliamentary business for the first time in nearly three months, making a virtual appearance during a plenary sitting after an 83-day absence that had fueled speculation over both her political future and the ongoing investigations surrounding her.

Ms. Among, who currently serves as the Bukedea District Woman Representative, joined the House proceedings via Zoom during a plenary session chaired by Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, her former deputy who succeeded her at the helm of Parliament following the start of the 12th Parliament.

Although she did not contribute to the debate or raise any matter on the floor, her virtual attendance carries significant legal and political implications. By registering her presence before Parliament, Ms. Among effectively halted the countdown toward the constitutional threshold that could have resulted in the loss of her parliamentary seat for prolonged absenteeism.

Under Article 83(1)(d) of Uganda’s Constitution and the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, a Member of Parliament who misses 15 consecutive sittings without written permission from the Speaker risks losing their seat. The provision is intended to ensure legislators remain accountable to both Parliament and the electorate by actively participating in legislative business.

The importance of the rule was recently underscored by Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige during the orientation of members of the 12th Parliament. Mr. Mwesige reminded legislators that any member unable to attend House sittings must seek prior written authorization from the Speaker or provide a satisfactory explanation through the appropriate parliamentary committee to avoid sanctions.

By the close of business on August 4, Parliament had already convened 12 sittings since the commencement of the new term. Those sittings included several landmark proceedings, among them the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the President’s State of the Nation Address, and the designation of parliamentary committees. Ms. Among had been absent from all of them until Tuesday’s online appearance.

Images and video clips from the plenary session showed the former Speaker connected alongside other Members of Parliament through the House’s virtual platform. Details visible in the background, including curtains flanking nearby windows, suggested she participated from what appeared to be a private residence or another enclosed location rather than a public office.

Her return to parliamentary proceedings comes against the backdrop of persistent reports that she has remained under house arrest since May 16, following a high-profile security operation at her residence in Kampala’s Nakasero suburb.

Ms. Among, who presided over the 11th Parliament, has been at the center of sweeping investigations by security agencies and the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) over allegations of corruption, abuse of office and illicit enrichment. The investigations reportedly intensified shortly after she was sworn in for the new parliamentary term.

The independent investigations were sanctioned by President Yoweri Museveni and executed by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The operation began with a raid on her Nakasero residence before investigators later searched her Munyonyo home and offices at Parliament.

Security agencies also impounded several luxury vehicles linked to the former Speaker, including a recently acquired Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly valued at Shs3.4 billion. While the Inspectorate of Government has since completed its investigations and submitted its findings to President Museveni, Ms. Among has not been formally charged before any court.

The broader anti-corruption investigations have, however, resulted in criminal charges against several senior parliamentary officials.

Seven Parliament employees suspected of participating in the alleged schemes were arrested, arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court on charges including self-enrichment and causing financial loss, and later interdicted from their positions pending the outcome of the cases.

Those charged include Chris Obore, Director of Communications and Public Affairs; Daniel Adilo, Director of Human Resources; Rajab Kaaya Semalulu, Principal Research Officer; Okwi Emmanuel Emuron, Principal Protocol Officer; Vincent Otebata, Capacity Development Officer; Leonard Okema, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker; and Stella Itute, Office Supervisor in the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Tuesday’s virtual participation has also reignited debate over Parliament’s rules governing remote attendance by legislators.

Parliamentary officials insist that Members of Parliament are legally permitted to attend proceedings virtually under existing House regulations.

Acting Director of Communications and Public Affairs Grace Gidudu explained that the Rules of Procedure provide for remote participation. She noted that a Zoom link is generated and circulated before eligible sittings, allowing Members of Parliament who wish to participate virtually the opportunity to join the proceedings online.

Virtual sittings became part of Uganda’s parliamentary operations during the ninth Parliament following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rules of Procedure were amended under the leadership of then-Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga to ensure legislative business could continue through designated digital platforms during periods of restricted physical gatherings.

However, the rules governing online participation contain an important qualification.

Rule 250(4) of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure provides that participation outside the parliamentary chamber through a digital platform only becomes valid after a proclamation or formal authorization by the Speaker.

That provision has now placed renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding Ms. Among’s attendance.

It remains unclear whether the former Speaker obtained the required authorization from Speaker Thomas Tayebwa before joining Tuesday’s plenary sitting remotely. When contacted for clarification, Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige declined to comment on whether the necessary approval had been granted.

With her virtual appearance now officially recorded in Parliament’s proceedings, immediate concerns about absenteeism have eased. However, unanswered questions surrounding the legality of her online participation, together with the unresolved corruption investigations that have overshadowed her political career in recent months, are likely to keep Ms. Among firmly in the national spotlight as the 12th Parliament continues its work.