KAMPALA, UGANDA: The office of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anitah Among through its press team has dismissed claims in a social media trending post indicating that the Speaker’s security had been withdrawn from her.
On Saturday night, word spread online that security had withdrawn guards from Among’s home, a claim the Speaker and her team said was “totally false.”
The post purportedly tweeted by Novelist Kankwenza Rukirabashaija alleged that Ms Among’s security detail had been withdrawn from her making her vulnerable ahead of a planned arrest over her involvement in the iron sheets scandal.
“BREAKING NEWS: @AnitahAmong’s bodyguards have just been withdrawn. This means that as the 3rd in ‘power’ hierarchy, she’s vulnerable security-wise and gonna be arrested like a chicken thief and be charged with stealing iron sheets for Karamoja”- Kankwenza tweeted on Saturday.
Responding to the news, Joseph Sabiti, one of Among’s Press Men disputed the FAKE reports and confirmed that there has never been any security withdrawal from the speaker as alleged by Kankwenza.
”The speaker is very safe and enjoying her Eid leave with her husband and family in her village home in Bukedea,” Sabiti said in a brief phone interview when quizzed over the reports.
The speaker of parliament is one of the many top government officials engulfed in the Karamoja iron sheets saga that has so far seen three ministers arrested and charged over corruption and dealing with suspect property.
“I have always said I got a call that iron sheets had been brought; after further analysis and considering that iron sheets were made for Karamoja and not Bukedea, I have taken a personal decision as a leader to buy 500 iron sheets and give them back,” Among said as she returned 500 iron sheets two weeks ago to the parliament
The speaker would further note that she took the decision to protect the image of Parliament, which would otherwise be looked at as ‘a grabber’. “I do not want to be a shame to Parliament; I am doing this for the House,” Among said last month.
Last week, the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu was arraigned in court and charged with corruption, with her committal to the high court waiting on May 03, 2023.
In the same week, Planning Minister Amos Lugoloobi returned to court and was granted bail worth shs 10m in cash as she awaits state prosecution to finalize investigations into his corruption case over the same saga.
The two ministers follow the pivotal Karamoja Affairs Minister Dr Mary Goretti Kitutu who was released two weeks ago after spending more than 7 days on remand at Luzira prison.
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