Fresh questions and political speculation have emerged after former Speaker Anita Annet Among reportedly failed to attend a crucial National Resistance Movement Central Executive Committee meeting despite personally being invited by President Yoweri Museveni.
The high-level NRM meeting was convened to discuss leadership positions for the 12th Parliament, particularly the Speaker and Deputy Speaker races that later reshaped Uganda’s parliamentary leadership structure.
Anita Among, who serves as the second national vice chairperson of the ruling party, was notably absent from the discussions even though she remains one of the most senior figures within the NRM hierarchy.
Reports indicate that President Museveni personally instructed NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong and Electoral Commission chairperson Tanga Odoi to ensure Among received an invitation to attend the important gathering.
Despite the direct invitation from the party chairman, Among reportedly declined to appear at the meeting, citing concerns over her personal security and freedom of movement.
Sources close to the situation claimed that she informed party officials that she no longer felt safe enough to attend such a high-profile political event amid the ongoing investigations and security operations surrounding her.
Her absence immediately fueled speculation within political circles, especially because the meeting was viewed as critical in determining the future leadership of Parliament following weeks of political tension.
The former Speaker also reportedly skipped the actual voting exercise for Speaker and Deputy Speaker at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, where Members of Parliament gathered to elect the new House leadership.
Observers noted that her absence from both the NRM CEC meeting and the parliamentary sitting marked a dramatic fall for a politician who until recently wielded enormous influence within Parliament and the ruling establishment.
According to reports, Among’s concerns about movement and safety intensified after several luxury vehicles linked to her were allegedly confiscated during ongoing investigations into corruption and misuse of office allegations.
Some of the vehicles reportedly taken included private luxury cars as well as official vehicles attached to the Office of the Speaker of Parliament.
Sources claim the private vehicles were transferred to police custody while official parliamentary vehicles were returned to Parliament premises during the investigations.
Family members and close associates reportedly argued that the developments left Among feeling isolated and vulnerable, making it difficult for her to move around freely.
One family source quoted in local reports claimed that the security pressure surrounding the former Speaker had created fear within her inner circle and disrupted her normal daily activities.
For days, security operatives have reportedly been conducting searches at multiple properties linked to Among, including residences in Kampala, Wakiso and her home district of Bukedea.
Additional reports suggest that investigations have also extended to properties associated with family members and individuals believed to be closely connected to her financial affairs.
The political pressure surrounding Among eventually culminated in her withdrawal from the race for Speaker of Parliament, a move that effectively cleared the path for new parliamentary leadership under Jacob Oboth-Oboth.
Her withdrawal marked a major turning point in Uganda’s political landscape, especially considering the immense influence she had built within Parliament during her tenure as Speaker.
At the same time, former Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa publicly apologized for the mistakes and controversies associated with the 11th Parliament, a statement many interpreted as an attempt to distance the new leadership from the scandals of the previous House.
As investigations continue and political tensions remain high, Anita Among’s absence from major party and parliamentary activities has only intensified public curiosity about the full extent of the pressure surrounding one of Uganda’s most powerful political figures.
