Written By | Peter Luzinda
Michael Timuzigu has described former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among as an “inexperienced thief”
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PARLIAMENT
Former Kajara County Member of Parliament Michael Timuzigu has described former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among as an “inexperienced thief” who failed to conceal allegedly stolen government funds, arguing that corruption has become a “disease” in Uganda that should be treated seriously.
Timuzigu made the remarks during interviews at Parliament while reacting to the ongoing investigations into alleged corruption within Parliament, following the decision by security forces to cordon off the Parliamentary premises and declare them a crime scene.
According to Timuzigu, many public officials have allegedly stolen government money over the years but managed to conceal their actions better than Among.
“Ugandans should know that Anita Among is not the only one who has stolen government money. It is because, for her, she doesn't know how to hide,” Timuzigu said.
He added that corruption has been deeply entrenched in government institutions, accusing several unnamed officials of embezzling public funds for years without detection.
“So many people have stolen government money. They have been hiding that money for so many years. For her, maybe because she was not experienced in stealing, she couldn't hide the money. I pray that she repents, returns government money, and starts preaching against corruption and joins me in the anti-corruption crusade,” he added.
Timuzigu further claimed that the ongoing investigations were “an act of God,” arguing that previous attempts to censure Parliamentary Commissioners implicated in corruption had been frustrated by Parliament’s leadership.
The former legislator admitted that he had long suspected corruption within the institution but lacked the authority to act against it.
“I was really aware that something bad was happening, but I had no authority. I was not the IGG, I was not Police, and I didn’t have any authority to bring that corruption down. But now God has come himself,” Timuzigu remarked.
He cited the sharp increase in monetary contributions by MPs at public functions as one of the signs that raised his suspicions about corruption in the 11th Parliament.
“When former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga attended my fundraising function, she gave me UGX2 million. Former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda also gave me UGX2 million. But when we started seeing MPs giving out UGX20 million, I asked where this money was coming from,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jinja City South West MP Timothy Batuwa welcomed the investigations into corruption allegations at Parliament but questioned why the probe was only intensifying after Among left office.
Batuwa argued that the delayed investigations risk creating the impression that corruption cases are handled politically and that a sitting Speaker of Parliament may have enjoyed immunity from scrutiny.
“All these cases coming up in this transitional window make it appear as though corruption is a political crime,” Batuwa said.
“They are treating it as if the Speaker could not be investigated while in office. This is wrong. They could have handled this much earlier. Coming this late is very suspicious and makes people believe there could be other motives behind the investigations,” he added.
Timothy Batuwa, Jinja South West MP
Batuwa also blamed authorities for failing to act sooner, arguing that billions of shillings and public property could have been saved had the investigations started earlier.
However, he noted that the current investigations send a strong warning to public officials entrusted with state resources. “The office of the Speaker is among the highest offices in the country and has no immunity. Any intervention there sends a very huge warning to all other public officials that the long arm of the law can reach them,” Batuwa said.
On the other hand, Bardege-Layibi Division MP Ojara Mapenduzi defended his earlier endorsement of Among for a second term as Speaker, saying he had no regrets because investigations were still ongoing and no conclusive evidence had yet been presented publicly.
“I don’t have any regret. I spoke about the achievements of the 11th Parliament and the good things the Speaker did. If there are bad things, I do not know about them. Investigations are ongoing and the outcome will become clear,” Ojara said.
Ojara Mapenduzi
He urged Ugandans not to judge Among prematurely, insisting that people should not ignore the positive contributions she made while in office.
“You don’t judge people without proof, but it is also wrong to forget the good things somebody has done,” he added.
Ojara further defended the 11th Parliament against accusations that it was institutionally corrupt, arguing that the ongoing investigations target specific individuals rather than Parliament as a whole.
“You cannot put allegations on an individual and turn them into an institutional issue. The investigation is on specific individuals, not the entire 11th Parliament,” he explained.
Security agencies recently intensified investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of office within Parliament, with parts of the Parliamentary premises reportedly sealed off as investigators continue gathering evidence linked to the alleged misuse of public funds.
Torch Media Africa
