President Museveni has heaped praises on Speaker Anita Among for “working harmoniously with the executive.”
“I want to salute the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and MPs,” said Museveni during the state-of-the nation address in Kololo on Thursday afternoon.
“I hear some people saying that Anita Among is perhaps not powerful enough because she does not undermine the executive but that’s not the case,” he observed.
“In the past, there was a risky and shallow tendency by some actors who tried to use Parliament to undermine the Ugandan revolution,” the president noted, adding, “This was a miscalculation that was provocative, but we managed to handle it peacefully.”
The praises come at a time the Speaker is facing a storm over the award of almost Shs 2bn to Commissioners of Parliament in service awards.
The huge expenditure of Parliament on activities run by the Speaker has also enraged the public.
However, Among maintains the expenditure of Parliament is always in line with approved budgets.
The U.S. and UK governments recently slapped sanctions on Among and her hubby, Eng Moses Magoogo.
Among today said the “call for leadership comes with the risk of being misunderstood, criticized, opposed, accused, sanctioned, or even rejected.”
The Speaker, who recently spearheaded the passing of the Anti-homosexuality law amid intense pressure from developing countries, said leaders “owe it to society to stand firm, and the good Lord will always be with us.”
Museveni disclosed that during the budgeting process for the year 2024/25, Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa worked closely with the heads of the executive and judiciary to harmonise their budgets.
He also slammed what he described as “foreign agents” and “traitors” who serve interests of foreign countries.
“There are, however, other actors, that get bribes from foreigners to work for foreign interests. These are both corrupt and traitors and we are monitoring their activities,” said Museveni.
“If they do not stop; and with evidence, we shall deal with them,” he added.
“They approach our people and say, ‘go and make a bad report against Uganda and we shall give you an award and it will have such money,’” said Museveni.
“I wish you good luck with the money of betrayal. We are following up. Those two – the dishonest people and traitors are the ones we are targeting. Mistake makers, we can show them how to do things.”