Anita Among Bows Out of Speakership Race: Strategic Retreat or, Political Survival ?

By Watchdog Uganda Desk | May 18, 2026

KAMPALA — When Anita Annet Among released a carefully worded late-night statement withdrawing from the race for Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament, few seasoned political observers were genuinely shocked.

Inside the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), the signs had been building for days.

What appeared publicly as a voluntary “step aside for party harmony” was, in reality, the climax of mounting political pressure, intensifying state scrutiny, and rapidly shifting power alliances within Uganda’s establishment.

For a politician who rose from Bukedea Woman MP to become one of the most powerful women in Uganda’s modern political history, Among’s withdrawal is not merely an electoral decision. It represents a defining moment in the life cycle of power inside the NRM system — where loyalty, usefulness, and political timing often matter more than institutional position.

Her statement spoke of “wide consultations” and the need to preserve unity within the ruling party. But behind the diplomatic language lies a more complex political story involving investigations, internal party calculations, elite rivalries, and questions about wealth accumulation that increasingly became impossible to ignore.

From Oulanyah’s Successor to Political Powerhouse

Following the death of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah in 2022, Among emerged as the preferred establishment candidate to stabilize Parliament and consolidate support within the ruling party.

She moved quickly to entrench herself politically.

Over the last four years, her office became one of the most influential centers of patronage in Uganda’s political system. Parliamentary commissions expanded spending, MPs enjoyed increased financial facilitation, and the institution itself became synonymous with large budgets, luxury procurement controversies, and accusations of wasteful expenditure.

At the same time, Among cultivated powerful alliances across the political spectrum — within Parliament, among security circles, and in business networks tied to state influence.

But power in Uganda’s politics is rarely permanent.

And visibility can quickly become vulnerability.

The Pressure That Changed Everything

The immediate trigger behind Among’s withdrawal appears linked to the dramatic escalation of investigations into her finances and assets.

In recent days, security agencies reportedly conducted coordinated operations targeting properties associated with the outgoing Speaker in areas including Nakasero, Kigo, Ntinda, and other locations in Kampala. Sources within political and security circles say investigators have been examining questions surrounding unexplained wealth accumulation, procurement processes, and luxury assets allegedly connected to individuals within her network.

Among the issues drawing public attention is the reported scrutiny surrounding a high-end Rolls-Royce vehicle valued in the billions of shillings, alongside questions about rapid accumulation of real estate and commercial assets during her tenure.

While no court has convicted Among of wrongdoing, the political symbolism of the raids was impossible to miss.

In Uganda’s political system, investigations involving senior officials are rarely interpreted as purely administrative exercises. They are often read as signals of changing political winds.

And the winds were clearly shifting.

The Muhoozi Factor and the Withdrawal of Political Cover

Another major turning point came with the apparent withdrawal of support from the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political pressure group associated with Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Only months ago, Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa appeared politically secure, buoyed by networks inside Parliament and sections of the security establishment.

But recent events suggest that support fragmented rapidly.

Multiple sources within the NRM indicate that high-level consultations at State House increasingly leaned toward the need for a “cleaner reset” ahead of the 12th Parliament, particularly as public frustration over corruption and government expenditure continues to grow.

In that environment, Among’s continued candidacy may have become politically costly — not only to herself, but to the broader image-management strategy of the ruling establishment.

Her withdrawal therefore appears less like surrender and more like strategic survival.

By stepping aside before an open confrontation, she avoids the humiliation of defeat on the parliamentary floor and preserves the possibility of political rehabilitation in the future.

Museveni’s Enduring Grip on Power

The episode also reinforces a reality that continues to define Ugandan politics after nearly four decades of NRM rule: ultimate political authority still rests with Yoweri Museveni.

Speakership contests in Uganda are rarely decided solely by MPs.

They are shaped by broader calculations involving party cohesion, regional balancing, elite trust, and the President’s long-term political strategy.

Among’s exit sends a strong signal to ambitious politicians across the ruling party that no office holder — however powerful — is beyond replacement once confidence from the center weakens.

The likely emergence of figures such as Jacob Oboth-Oboth in Speakership discussions reflects the search for a leadership style seen as less controversial and more aligned with the current mood inside the establishment.

The End of an Era of Parliamentary Extravagance?

Among’s tenure will likely be remembered as one of the most controversial periods in Uganda’s parliamentary history.

Her time as Speaker coincided with repeated public criticism over MPs’ allowances, luxury vehicles, renovations, supplementary budgets, and what critics described as the commercialization of legislative politics.

Parliament increasingly became viewed by many Ugandans not as a center of accountability, but as a highly rewarding political marketplace.

The backlash was not just coming from opposition politicians or civil society groups.

Even sections within the ruling party reportedly became uncomfortable with the growing public perception that Parliament had become detached from the economic struggles facing ordinary citizens.

Among’s withdrawal may therefore represent an attempt by the system to politically reset and contain public anger before it evolves into broader anti-establishment sentiment.

Whether that translates into genuine reform remains uncertain.

Accountability or Political Realignment?

The central question now is whether the investigations surrounding Among will produce substantive accountability or merely serve as instruments of political restructuring.

Ugandans have witnessed similar anti-corruption moments before — dramatic raids, public declarations, and high-profile investigations that ultimately fade without deep institutional reform.

If the probes are selective, critics argue, public cynicism will only deepen further.

However, if authorities pursue transparent investigations into parliamentary procurement, asset declarations, and abuse of office regardless of political affiliation, the moment could mark a rare turning point in restoring public confidence.

That remains a major “if.”

What Happens to Anita Among Now?

Politically, Among is unlikely to disappear overnight.

She still commands networks within Parliament, local government structures in Teso, business circles, and sections of the ruling establishment. Her ability to survive politically will largely depend on how aggressively investigations proceed and whether she retains influential allies within the system.

Her public pledge to “serve in any role assigned” may itself be strategic language aimed at signaling continued loyalty to the NRM leadership and avoiding direct confrontation.

But the transition from one of the most powerful offices in Uganda to political uncertainty will not be easy.

For many politicians, the greatest danger comes not during their rise — but after the protection of high office weakens.

A Defining Moment for the 12th Parliament

As Uganda prepares for the opening of the 12th Parliament, the Speakership transition is shaping up as more than a leadership contest.

It is becoming a referendum on the future direction of governance, accountability, and political control within the ruling party.

Will the next Parliament reduce excessive spending and strengthen oversight?

Will anti-corruption efforts move beyond political symbolism?

Or will the removal of one powerful figure simply create space for a new network to inherit the same system?

Those questions remain unanswered.

What is clear is that Anita Among’s withdrawal marks the end of a powerful chapter in Uganda’s parliamentary politics — one built on rapid ascent, immense influence, fierce loyalty networks, and growing controversy.

And in Uganda’s political history, such endings are rarely accidental.

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