In an interview on Monday, Anita Among, the Bukedea Woman MP and former FDC deputy treasurer, made a bold confession; she is an agent of President Museveni.
In the January 9 interview with The Observer, the independent opposition FDC-leaning legislator described President Museveni as her “special friend” who is always willing to help her every time she is in need.
“It is true the president is my good friend and I meet him any time I want,” Among said.
Until this very public admission, Among, who has a presidential police guard (PPG) escort now, operated covertly. At times though, she is been seen flying with President Museveni in his presidential jet.
Among is the vice chairperson of the committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), seconded to the position by FDC. Cosase is one of the four accountability committees, headed by the opposition in Parliament. Because of her FDC connections, Among has in the past taken offence at being linked to the president.
But that is now in the past. As she spoke to this writer from parliament’s north wing parking lot, her police escort closely followed the brief session.
“If it is about getting money from him [Museveni], yes I get it and even if I want it now, I can easily call and tell him that ‘Mzee, I am broke’, and he will give it to me,” Among said.
Asked what she uses the money for, Among said, “it is for mobilisation activities.”
She did not specify what sort of mobilisation she does. But rumours abound that she helps Museveni to soften opposition politicians and get them on the president’s side.
For instance, when the president wanted to meet MPs from Kasese, angered by the raid on Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere’s palace and the subsequent arrest of the Rwenzururu king, it was Among who persuaded all FDC MPs to meet the president. She, indeed, accompanied them to Museveni’s farm at Kisozi in Gomba for the meeting.
“I am a peace lover and being that Winnie [Kiiza, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament] is my friend, it was easy for me to convince her to meet the president. I did it in the interest of peace and security of our country,” Among said.
Asked whether Museveni had given money to the Kasese MPs, Among said no.
“They didn’t get even a single coin from [Museveni]; Winnie [Kiiza] is not worth that. What if the president also knows that I myself am worth more than Shs 1bn; how much can he give Winnie?” Among asked.
“If they got any money from him, I would have told you like I am not denying that I get a lot of his [Museveni] money,” she added.
Using the analogy of the infamous “presidential handshake” in which Shs 6bn was doled out to 42 public servants in bonus payments for winning a case against oil companies, Among said that because the president knows her worth, she is much more than the handshake.
This could explain why she has become one of the legislators that offer quick loans and sometimes monetary incentives to colleagues in need. For instance, she recently invited an MP from Kigezi for lunch and stunned the legislator with a $400 (Shs 1.4m) ‘lunch’ envelope.
She hosted President Museveni at her thanksgiving party in Bukedea last July, and months later the president was back in Bukedea to attend her father’s last funeral rites.
DISCOMFORT
Among is not the first FDC MP to openly wine and dine with Museveni while in opposition. In the run-up to the 2011 general elections, then FDC MPs Agnes Akiror and Alex Onzima publicly worked with the president. Both were later appointed ministers, even though Akiror had failed to secure re-election to parliament.
Nevertheless, Among’s presidential ties have caused some discomfort within the opposition ranks in and outside parliament. In parliament, the DP caucus has threatened to boycott the opposition caucus meetings if the former FDC deputy treasurer continues to be part of their meetings.
A DP legislator who declined to be named said on Saturday that FDC owes them an explanation since officials from the dominant opposition party appear to have an understanding with her.
“FDC is well aware of her dealings but they seem not to care because they went as far as giving her a leadership position [on Cosase], but I think they need to explain,” the DP legislator said.
Opposition Chief Whip and Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda said in a Saturday interview that there’s a growing push within the opposition to have Among removed from the Cosase leadership.
“This is a matter that we have also discussed in FDC and I told them Museveni is working with so many others [opposition leaders]. So, should we expel whoever works or meets with Museveni?” Ssemujju wondered.
“It is not a straightforward matter and it needs a lot of craftsmanship to deal with because if you chase whoever deals with Museveni, you may end up making him happy because that is what he wants,” the FDC spokesman added.
Ssemujju further told The Observer that he is more comfortable working with Among, whose relationship with Museveni is public, than others who secretly pick money from the president to disorganise the opposition. National female Youth MP Anne Adeke Ebaju, an FDC-leaning independent, shares Ssemujju’s view.
“I see nothing wrong with her relationship with Museveni. I think it is professional because he is the president and she is an MP,” Adeke said.
“She has professionally executed a number of [the president’s] assignments, like following up on his [Museveni] promises in Bukedea such as the grading of roads, among others,” Adeke added.
However, not all opposition politicians seem comfortable with the flip-flopping opposition MPs. On Saturday, the FDC founding president Kizza Besigye posted a cryptic message on his Twitter account.
Responding to a news item by Buganda Broadcasting Service (BBS) in which Lubaga South MP Kato Lubwama was attacking him, Besigye wrote:
“Hons Kato Lubwama, Muhamed Nsereko, Odonga Otto, Nabilah Nagayi, Abdu Katuntu, and Mr Andrew Mwenda…….. who next?”
sadabkk@observer.ug