Ex-Uganda speaker Anita Among to be freed from house arrest as Museveni drops prosecution, Muhoozi says

Uganda army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced that former Parliament Speaker Anita Annet Among will be released from house arrest and will not be prosecuted over graft allegations that had triggered a months-long investigation into her affairs.

Muhoozi made the announcement on X on Tuesday, noting that President Yoweri Museveni had instructed him to end Among’s house arrest and abandon plans to bring criminal charges against her.

“Mzee [Museveni] has instructed me to release AAA from house arrest. We shall do that,” Muhoozi said, referring to Among by her initials.

He later gave a direct answer when asked by a user whether the former speaker would still face prosecution, saying Museveni had chosen to forgive her.

“No. We shall not prosecute AAA. She made mistakes, but Mzee has decided to forgive her,” he said.

The announcement comes after Among spent months under investigation over allegations of corruption, money laundering, abuse of office and questions surrounding her wealth.

The case also affected her political career, with Among stepping aside from the race for speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament while the investigation was underway. Jacob Oboth Oboth later took over the position.

Investigators were also examining parliamentary finances, including service awards paid to commissioners in 2022 and 2023. Among was among officials linked to the payments, with individual awards reportedly ranging from USh1.4 billion to USh1.7 billion.

The scrutiny also extended to Among’s assets and wealth declarations, including property and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly worth about USh3.4 billion.

The investigation followed international action against Among in 2024, when the United Kingdom and United States imposed sanctions on her over corruption allegations. Britain accused her of benefiting from the alleged diversion of iron sheets intended for vulnerable communities in Karamoja, while Washington cited corruption linked to her leadership of Parliament.

Among has denied the allegations and described the sanctions as politically motivated. Her supporters have also argued that the foreign measures were influenced by her support for Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.