Kampala, Uganda: Fresh corruption allegations and international sanctions concerns have intensified pressure on Uganda’s Parliament ahead of the Speakership race, with Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya calling for the election of a “clean” Speaker and Deputy Speaker capable of restoring public trust in the institution.
Speaking amid mounting scrutiny surrounding former Speaker Anita Among, Olanya welcomed recent anti-corruption pronouncements by President Museveni and First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, saying the developments signaled a major turning point in exposing what he described as “deep-rooted rot” within Parliament.
Ms Among has recently faced increasing political pressure following corruption allegations and international sanctions that have shaken the image of Uganda’s legislature both locally and abroad.
Olanya claimed that under Among’s leadership, Parliament operated under fear, intimidation, and excessive commercialization of parliamentary business.
“In the 11th Parliament, if you spoke negatively about the office of the Speaker, you were immediately blacklisted. For technical staff, you risked losing your job,” Olanya alleged.
Quoting biblical teachings that “there is time for everything,” the legislator said the former Speaker’s “time had come,” while branding the 11th Parliament as the worst in Uganda’s history due to alleged corruption and abuse of office.
According to Olanya, nearly every parliamentary process allegedly became monetized. “Everything in Parliament had to be paid for. Even committee activities required attaching budgets. The level of commercialization was alarming,” he claimed.
The outspoken legislator welcomed ongoing anti-corruption interventions but warned that investigations should not stop at the former Speaker alone.
He called for deeper scrutiny into Parliament’s procurement systems, alleging that lucrative contracts were awarded through bribery involving senior parliamentary leadership. “People had to pay huge sums of money to presiding officers in order to secure contracts,” Olanya alleged.
He further urged the Inspectorate of Government to investigate recruitment processes within Parliament, claiming jobs were allegedly distributed through nepotism involving relatives, friends, and political associates.
“Parliament was being run like a family business,” he said.
Olanya also questioned parliamentary foreign travel expenditures, alleging that some trips disguised as official assignments were instead leisure travels financed using public resources.
The Kilak South MP argued that the sanctions and travel restrictions imposed on Among had significantly damaged Uganda’s international image. “Whenever we travel abroad, people now look at us as thieves because of one person,” he said.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Speakership race, Olanya praised Norbert Mao for contesting for the position, saying his candidacy helped expose governance weaknesses and corruption concerns within Parliament.
He urged the ruling National Resistance Movement, which commands the majority in Parliament, to elect a Speaker free from corruption scandals and capable of rebuilding confidence in the institution.
Olanya also called for regional balance in selecting both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker while criticizing politicians who publicly campaigned online for the former Speaker allegedly in expectation of personal benefits.
Meanwhile, Nwoya District resident Lungajul Justine Oloya echoed Olanya’s concerns, urging MPs to elect a parliamentary leader with integrity and international credibility.
“Uganda needs a Speaker who can travel freely across the world without sanctions or restrictions because the office is a central pillar in national administration,” Lungajul said.
He further argued that legislators who support corrupt leaders should feel ashamed “unless they are birds of the same feather.”
Political activist Ochira Bosco Lawino also weighed into the debate, describing the Speakership contest as a critical national issue.
“The Speaker must connect Uganda to international parliamentary forums and help build bilateral relationships with other countries,” Lawino said.
He urged MPs to prioritize integrity, competence, and international standing while electing the next parliamentary leadership.
“As a citizen, I may not vote in Parliament, but I have a right to speak on matters affecting Uganda. MPs should choose someone free from corruption and capable of lobbying for Uganda internationally,” he added.
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