A joint security team led by the Criminal Investigations Directorate have searched the residence of former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among as investigations into alleged illicit enrichment and money laundering intensify.
The operation, spearheaded by CID headquarters with support from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and other security agencies, follows reports that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered a probe into the former Speaker’s wealth and financial dealings.
Investigators are reportedly pursuing lines of inquiry centred on suspected illicit enrichment, corruption, and money laundering. Security operatives conducted a detailed search at Among’s residence as part of efforts to gather evidence linked to the ongoing investigations.
Joint security teams raided and sealed off her upscale residences in Nakasero, Kololo, and Kigo to secure documents and financial records.This will be extended to Bukedea her home District.
The IGG is actively reviewing a petition filed by Kampala-based lawyers alleging that Among violated the Leadership Code Act. Petitioners are heavily scrutinizing her assets, including a luxury Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
These latest developments build on previous inquiries by the IGG, which were initially ordered by President Museveni following UK sanctions, though early probes found no UK property owned in her name.
The Speaker of Parliament in Uganda holds the third-highest position in the official national order of precedence, ranking directly below the President and the Vice President
The Speaker Chairs the Appointments Committee (which vets presidential appointments) and the Business Committee.
The Speaker of Parliament is also the political and administrative head of the Legislature in Uganda, responsible for presiding over plenary sittings, interpreting parliamentary rules, and maintaining order. As the second most powerful figure in the country’s government, the Speaker acts as the referee of legislative debates and oversees the administrative functions of the Parliament.
If found quilty she will go down in history as the frist public figure to be charged on money laundering in uganda although she has been put on other foreign sanctions.
Uganda is estimated to lose approximately $500 million (Shs1.74 trillion) annually to money laundering and other illicit financial flows (IFFs). However, other authoritative estimates place this annual loss as high as UGX 2 trillion (roughly $558 million)
Due to these persistent issues, Uganda has previously been black listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on its “grey list”
Over the past five decades, Africa has experienced an estimated loss exceeding $1 trillion in illicit financial flows (IFFs) —an amount roughly equivalent to the total official development assistance received during the same period. These flows drain Africa’s resources, crippling development and deepening inequality.
