HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I “I am“ told that I have many assets in the UK and lots of accounts in the UK. Unfortunately, I have only been in the UK once. I don’t even have a pussycat in the UK,” Among said as she opened plenary sitting recently in her first verbal reaction to UK sanctions imposed on her and two former ministers.
The UK government recently announced sanctions against Speaker Among, freezing her assets in the UK and imposing a travel ban. The UK government cited concerns over corruption and illicit wealth and said the sanctions were aimed at combating corruption globally.
Among was sanctioned together with two former Ministers Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu over their involvement in the iron sheets scandal.
The speaker’s alleged UK properties, including a luxurious mansion in an upscale neighborhood, were confirmed by HE Kate Airey, the British High Commissioner to Uganda, in a brief to President Museveni. This puts her in the line of fire, with the possibility of impeachment by the August House.
“She (HE Kate Airey) also told me about sanctioning the Rt. Hon. Anita Among. I said: ‘Why?’ She said that Anita Among has got a house or houses in the UK and has got bank accounts from which she pays school fees for her children who are studying there,” the President said.
Probe Ordered
The President recently ordered three government agencies and the Ugandan Embassy in the UK to ascertain whether the Speaker does own properties in the European nation and to advise the next best course of action.
In a May 2nd letter seen by Habari Daily and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the president said he had learnt from the British High Commissioner Kate Airey.
The British envoy had requested an urgent meeting with the President to alert him about sanctions that her government was about to slap on Speaker Anita Among and two former ministers.
“… the issue of houses would be very interesting if, especially, Anita Among did not declare them in her Leadership Code documents,” Museveni wrote.
He added: “If she had declared them, then the next issue would be how she got the money to build them. If these two are answered correctly and show no mistake, the remaining issue would be political, and ideological judgement.”
Museveni wondered why would a Ugandan leader build or buy houses in the UK or anywhere else abroad, when Uganda, the still under-developed country where she would have earned the money, still needs those investments.
“I, therefore, told the High Commissioner that the Uganda Government would demand from the UK Government more information about this. Attorney-General and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advise on how this can be done and the appropriate authority to go ahead and do it.”
Habari Daily will keep you updated on the developments.
