Speaker Among dismisses corruption allegations as mere ‘hearsay’

The Speaker of Parliament Ms. Anita Among on Friday addressed the ongoing social media campaign alleging misuse of public funds. According to Among, the campaign stems from anger over the recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Act.

This follows a request from Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, and Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo, who urged the Speaker to explain concerns raised in the online campaign.

“They are questioning how we use tax payers money and accountability by this house, among others. People have raised these issues on various platforms,” said Ssenyonyi.

Several MPs, including Jessica Ababiku (Adjumani Woman MP), Sarah Opendi (Tororo Woman MP), and Muhammad Nsereko (Kampala Central), argued for postponing the debate until ministerial policy statements were presented. However, Ssekikubo insisted parliament couldn’t proceed “as if nothing has happened.”

Ms. Among, however, maintained she couldn’t respond to “rumors” spread by those angered by parliament’s passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

““I will never give you answers based on hearsay, on rumor-mongering. And we aren’t going to run this House on rumor-mongering. Me to answer you on hearsay, on things you have cooked on social media, because I have said no to homosexuality, I will not.If you have any evidence, lay it on table, then we can debate it. Such evidence must be authentic,” Ms Among said.

Earlier this week, Ssenyonyi wrote to the Speaker requesting her to call MPs from recess to discuss the online allegations of misused public funds.

Written by Prossy Kisakye