Former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among spent four years building one of the most powerful political networks in the country.
Backed by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), feared by sections of the opposition and increasingly associated with displays of wealth and political influence, Among appeared firmly in control of both Parliament and her political future heading into the 2026 elections.
By early 2026, she was openly discussing succession plans stretching into 2031 and positioning herself for another term as Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
Three months later, she had withdrawn from the Speakership race amid mounting investigations into alleged illicit enrichment, corruption and money laundering.
Here is the timeline of her rise and rapid political reversal.
2007 to 2011: Early defeats in Bukedea
Among first entered national politics through the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), contesting for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat in 2007 and again in 2011.
She lost both attempts, including the 2011 race against Rose Akol.
The defeats established her as a persistent political organiser in Bukedea, though still outside Uganda’s main power structures.
2016: Break from FDC and entry into Parliament
Among abandoned the FDC ahead of the 2016 elections and ran as an independent candidate.
The move proved decisive. She won the Bukedea Woman MP seat and entered the 10th Parliament before later aligning herself with the ruling NRM establishment.
Her political positioning increasingly shifted from opposition politics to establishment power circles.
2021: Consolidation inside the NRM
By the 2021 general elections, Among had become one of the NRM’s most influential female politicians.
She secured the NRM flag for Bukedea Woman MP and entered the 11th Parliament.
Critics and opposition figures accused the Electoral Commission and local structures of frustrating or blocking some challengers, allegations that became part of a broader narrative surrounding her political dominance in Bukedea.
Around the same period, she strengthened her influence inside Parliament as Deputy Speaker.
March 2022: Oulanyah’s death opens path to power
The death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah in March 2022 triggered one of the most important succession battles in Uganda’s recent parliamentary history.
Among quickly declared interest in the position. Backed by the NRM leadership and widely perceived to have President Yoweri Museveni’s support, she entered the race as favourite.
On March 25, 2022, she defeated opposition candidate Asuman Basalirwa by 401 votes to 66 during voting at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The victory made her Uganda’s second female Speaker after Rebecca Kadaga and marked the beginning of her most powerful political phase.
2022 to 2025: Consolidation of authority
As Speaker, Among built a reputation for firm control over parliamentary proceedings. Supporters described her as decisive and disciplined.
Critics accused her of running Parliament in an increasingly authoritarian manner, suppressing dissent and shielding politically connected figures.
Her tenure coincided with some of Uganda’s most controversial parliamentary debates, including the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
She frequently clashed with opposition MPs, suspended legislators and faced criticism over rulings later challenged in court, including the suspension of Francis Zaake.
At the same time, Parliament itself came under scrutiny over allegations linked to the diversion of iron sheets meant for Karamoja and wider concerns about accountability in public spending.
2024: International sanctions intensify scrutiny
The pressure around Among escalated significantly in 2024 when the United Kingdom and United States imposed sanctions linked to allegations of significant corruption.
The sanctions damaged her international standing and intensified public scrutiny of her wealth and lifestyle.
Among and some allies argued that part of the backlash was connected to her support for Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.
However, criticism inside Uganda increasingly focused on allegations of corruption, abuse of office and the widening gap between political elites and ordinary citizens.
October 2025: Bukedea challengers removed
Ahead of the 2026 elections, Among moved to secure her parliamentary seat early. On October 6, 2025, the Electoral Commission removed several challengers for the Bukedea Woman MP position following disputes over parish registration requirements.
The disqualifications cleared the way for Among to be declared unopposed. The development strengthened perceptions that she remained politically untouchable within both Bukedea and the wider NRM structure.
February 2026: Speakership succession plan unveiled
On February 7, 2026, Among formally launched her campaign for re-election as Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
Speaking confidently, she declared she expected to run unopposed within the NRM and even outlined a long-term transition arrangement in which Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa would eventually succeed her in 2031.
The remarks reinforced perceptions that the Speakership race had already been settled internally. But that assumption quickly collapsed.
February to April 2026: Mao challenge and Kyankwanzi tensions
The biggest political challenge emerged when Democratic Party president and Justice Minister Norbert Mao entered the race.
Mao framed his candidacy as a challenge to institutional corruption and argued that the DP-NRM cooperation agreement entitled him to contest.
The rivalry exploded publicly during the NRM parliamentary caucus retreat at Kyankwanzi.
President Museveni told legislators that the NRM Central Executive Committee endorsement of Among was “not final”, signalling that the race remained open.
Tensions escalated further when Among reportedly blocked Mao and his allies from addressing the caucus.
During the exchanges, she made the now-famous “bedroom” remarks, saying cooperation agreements did not mean outsiders could enter the “master bedroom”, which she described as the Speakership.
The remarks triggered backlash. Mao accused her of engaging in “bad politics and bad manners” and argued that attacking him indirectly amounted to disrespecting President Museveni himself.
The confrontation exposed growing fractures inside the ruling establishment.
April to May 2026: Wealth backlash and Rolls-Royce controversy
As political tensions grew, scrutiny increasingly shifted towards Among’s wealth. Reports emerged in early May 2026 that she had acquired a Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly valued at billions of shillings.
Among said the vehicle as a birthday gift. But the optics proved politically disastrous.
At a time of widespread economic hardship, critics accused her of flaunting excessive wealth while ordinary Ugandans struggled with rising living costs.
The backlash spread rapidly across social media and political circles. Even the CDF, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly remarked that neither he nor President Museveni had sat in such a vehicle, comments widely interpreted as distancing himself from her.
Soon after, the Patriotic League of Uganda withdrew its backing for Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
That moment increasingly appeared to mark the beginning of her political isolation.
May 2026: Raids, investigations and collapse of the bid
The decisive turning point came in mid-May 2026. Security agencies, including police, CID and military-linked investigators, launched coordinated operations targeting properties associated with Among.
The investigations focused on allegations of illicit enrichment, corruption and money laundering. Investigators examined bank accounts, property records, proxies and financial transactions connected to her network.
The Rolls-Royce itself became a symbol of the investigations and public anger surrounding her wealth.
At the same time, President Museveni chaired a high-level discussions in which Among was reportedly advised to step aside from the Speakership race.
May 17, 2026: Withdrawal from the Speakership race
On May 17, 2026, Among announced her withdrawal from the race for Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
In a public statement, she said the decision followed “wide consultations and deep introspection” aimed at maintaining harmony within the NRM.
She pledged support for the eventual party position and stated she would cooperate with ongoing investigations.
The statement marked a dramatic shift in tone from the confidence she had displayed only months earlier when discussing long-term control of Parliament.
Her withdrawal effectively ended one of the most dominant Speakership projects Uganda had seen in recent years.
