KAMPALA, UGANDA: Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Anita Among has revealed that her life is in danger after she received assassination threats and that her convoy has been trailed by unknown assailants.
The Speaker said: “I have only shared this with Leader of Opposition, I have got an assassination report wanting to assassinate me. As we have said, investigate on what is happening and start with mine because it isn’t a hearsay, it is a reality, follow it up with the Minister of Internal Affairs.”
“Whoever wants to assassinate Anita, let me inform you that I was put in this chair by God and I will serve until I get tired,” vowed Ms Among who has been the Speaker of the 11th Parliament since March 25, 2022 when she was elected to replace former Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah who died in Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
Among told parliament that she raised the matter because it was overdue, and put Ugandans on alert that if anything can happen to her, the assassination threats should be blamed and promised to handle the matter with the executive.
To this effect, she directed the Office of the Prime Minister to investigate the matter and report back to the House for the next cause of action.
The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja in response said that issues of security especially when it comes to assassination of the Speaker can’t be discussed openly in Parliament and asked Parliament to give Government more time, to inform the President who is also the Commander in Chief (CiC) as well as all the people concerned.
“Issues of security aren’t a cat and rat chase like you see it, I want to commit that we are going to handle this issue with utmost urgency it deserves, you will be protected. Your God is there to protect you, nothing will happen to you and we are going to beef her security, we are in charge of this government,” said Nabbanja.
This followed a complaint raised by Katikamu South MP, Hassan Kirumira, who asked government to explain circumstances under which some Ugandans are being abducted, arrested and others assassinated.
Mr Kirumira cited the arrest the of Mr Jakana Nadduli, the son of former Minister Al Hajji Abdul Nadduli who was “abducted and taken away by unknown men.”
Jakana is said to have been picked from his home by unknown people, bundled in a ‘drone’ (Toyota Hiace vehicle) and driven to unknown destination.
The Shadow Attorney General, Wilfred Niwagaba said that abductions are painful to citizens, noting that the infamous drone cars used to whisk away the victims are back.
Speaker Among isn’t the first Speaker to report an assassination attempt in Parliament with former Speaker Kadaga in 2014 having reported of an incidence where she reported to have received a letter bomb through email, only for the deadly letter to explode when one of her aides, Herman Kabogoza opened it.
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