President Yoweri Museveni has directed Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba to release former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among from house arrest, potentially ending months of restrictions imposed as authorities investigated allegations surrounding the management of Parliament.
Muhoozi announced the presidential directive on Tuesday morning, saying the order would be implemented.
“Mzee has also instructed me to release AAA from house arrest,” Muhoozi said, using Among’s initials.
“We shall do that as well.”
The announcement marks a significant change in Among’s circumstances after security personnel restricted her movements following searches at her residences in Nakasero, Kigo and Bukedea earlier this year.
Among had stepped aside from the race for Speaker of the 12th Parliament amid investigations into allegations of corruption, wealth declaration and financial management at Parliament. She was subsequently replaced as Speaker by Jacob Oboth Oboth.
Her prolonged stay at her Nakasero residence had prompted repeated appeals from political, cultural and religious leaders, particularly from Teso, for Museveni to ease restrictions on her movement.
Papa Emorimor Paul Sande Etomeileng Emolot, the Paramount Chief of the Iteso Cultural Union, has led delegations to senior government officials, including Gen. Salim Saleh, seeking dialogue over Among’s situation.
During a recent meeting in Kapeeka, the Emorimor told Saleh that Among was facing financial difficulties after her bank accounts were frozen and appealed for intervention.
Teso MPs have also said they occasionally mobilised money to help the former Speaker meet household expenses.
“Yes, the situation is bad for Among. We raise money for her food,” one Teso MP said.
“Among always supported our initiatives and we can’t let her down.”
Another MP said: “It is really true that Among’s main problem now is food. She cannot access her accounts to buy food. So we chip in with our resources; it’s strange but true.”
The order lifting the restrictions on Among does not necessarily bring the investigations to an end.
Several senior Parliament officials have already been charged at the Anti-Corruption Court with offences including embezzlement, money laundering and causing financial loss arising from the wider investigation into Parliament’s finances.
Among has maintained her loyalty to Museveni and previously said the President had protected rather than mistreated her during the investigations.
Tuesday’s directive could now allow the Bukedea Woman MP to resume movement and political activities after months largely confined to her Nakasero home.
Anita Annet Among born 23 November 1973 is a Ugandan accountant, lawyer and politician who served as the speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda from 2022 to May 2026. She has represented Bukedea District as the Woman Member of Parliament since 2016, serving in the 10th, 11th and 12th Parliaments
During the 10th Parliament, she served as Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE). On March 25, 2022, she was elected Speaker of Parliament following the death of Jacob Oulanyah.
Over the years, she has spearheaded major development initiatives in the district, including the construction of a modern school, a teaching hospital, and a sports stadium projects aimed at expanding opportunities for young people and improving access to essential services.
She has also supported many women who once faced circumstances similar to hers, helping them find ways to uplift their families and rebuild their lives.
Because of this deep connection with her community, many residents in Bukedea affectionately call her “TOTO,” a word in the Ateso language that means mother.
Her popularity in the district reflects that bond. She has been returned to Parliament unopposed twice an extraordinary endorsement in Uganda’s competitive political environment.
For many young girls in Bukedea and beyond, Anita Among has become more than a political leader. She has become a living symbol of possibility.
In 2025, Among contested for the position of Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) of the National Resistance Movement, challenging the incumbent Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga. She won the position by a wide margin, further strengthening her influence within the party.
From brewing ajon to working as a house girl, from surviving attempted sexual assaults to almost being married off at the age of 14, Anita Among’s life story reflects extraordinary resilience.
Today, she stands as a national leader, a wife to Hassim Moses Magogo, and a mother of twins earning her the cultural title Nalongo. She has also helped lift her family out of poverty and continues to inspire many across Uganda.
