“I have only one term to serve , after I hand over to Rt Hon Tayebwa,” - Among

 “I have only one term to serve , after I hand over to Rt Hon Tayebwa,”  the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Anita.

Among said this statement today afternoon during thanksgiving prayers and 80th birthday celebrations for Mzee Daudi Bangirana, the father to Tayebwa in Mitooma.

Speaker Among has served as deputy speaker for 7 years and. 

“We also want to thank the people of Mitooma for giving us a leader in Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, he is a very disciplined leader. As a Deputy speaker, he knows what his role is. He is so down to earth and I was even worried that he was going to make everyone laugh here because that is what he is,” Anita praised her deputy, “and we want to request people of Mitooma to kindly bring back Rt. Hon. Tayebwa to Parliament.”

“I only have one [more” term to serve and when I finish serving my term, I will give it to Rt. Hon [Tayebwa], Jolly Anita told cheerful congregants, explaining, “you don’t need to cling to power. I have one term to go then I hand it over to him.”

This was during the opening of the Shs2.7Bn St. Charles Lwanga Kigarama Church in Mitooma district, on Sunday, built through funds raised by Deputy Speaker Tayebwa and his friends from the business community. 

The ceremony coincided with the thanksgiving mass of Tayebwa’s father, Daudi Bangirana’s, 80th birthday.

The Speaker’s statement comes amidst allegations of corruption and abuse of office that have dominated the public discourse against her reign. 

However, Among remains resolute, stating that she will hand over power after serving her next term.

Despite the unknown masterminds behind the attacks, Among has previously accused foreign capitals of seeking her political downfall due to her championing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, of 2023 which has been widely described as the world’s harshest on LGBT+ community.

However, the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, explained that their sanctions were instigated by corruption involvement by all the affected Ugandan officials, including Speaker Among.

Nevertheless, in a contradictory move, Antony Blinken, the USA Secretary of State said in June 2024 that sanctions were provoked by the passage of AHA.

“Where Human Rights abuses are carried out against LDGBT+ persons, we hold the perpetrators accountable, Blinken said at the 2024 Pride Month convening on US Foreign policy in Washington DC.

In the past, Speakers from the ruling NRM party have chaired parliament for 10 years, with Deputy Speakers following the same norm before ascending to the coveted speakership chair. Among’s declaration may indicate a departure from this tradition.

The Speaker’s remarks may be seen as a show of confidence and determination to serve out her two unwritten mandatory terms despite the challenges and controversies surrounding her first tenure.

She was elected in as the speaker after the death of Jacob Aulanya 3 years ago and her term will elapse in 2026.