By Mulengera Reporters
Kilak County MP Gilbert Olanya says that the outcome of the Speakership vote at Kololo made Monday 25th May to be one of the happiest days of his life. He says he couldn’t believe his eyes seeing Oboth-Oboth taking oath, which marked the end of dreaded Anita Among’s reign at the helm of the legislature.
He says Anita Among was a very bad leader who weaponized the Speakership office to instill fear and force legislators, who quietly disliked and despised her, to engage in public display of affection towards her. He claims that MPs would line up at the steps of Parliament entrance to receive Anita Among whenever she would be arriving to chair sessions in the afternoon.
Olanya says, because being perceived as anti-Among would result into being gagged and not allowed to say anything in plenary or even total deprivation of lucrative foreign trips, MPs always involuntarily lined up to be photographed with her to avoid retribution, which all her enemies (perceived and real) had to be subjected to.
Olanya said on Next Radio moments after the Oboth vote that actually 98% of the MPs hated Anita Among but were merely victims of fear and manipulation. Asked if he was one of those who were happy and jubilating, Olanya responded with “of course, very much so.”
He said that because of the Among-era corruption, dirty deals, intolerance and impunity at Parliament, majority Ugandans hated the entire legislature “to the extent that people called as robbers and mafias wherever we went.” He said he is grateful Oboth recognizes the problem and he is ready to confront the elephant in the room head on.
Olanya said he was an unrepentant hater of Anita Among because, as Chairperson for the PAC Committee LGs, he suffered her self-centeredness, insensitivity and draconian leadership style first hand. He said every Committee must have its own budget but Anita Among took away everything purporting she was putting it all in a pool.
That Committee budgets would be passed but the quarterly money would get hijacked thereafter into the Speaker’s office where Among would personally control it and that if any chairman or member complained about this anomalous conduct by the Speaker, they would be persecuted forever. Speaking out meant being sidelined and denied chance to talk in plenary, which many avoided by keeping quiet while hurting inside, Olanya explained.
“You would be told as Committee chair that your money is there but each time you requisitioned, you wouldn’t get it. They would say there is no money and that would be the end of story,” Olanya said making it clear that this is why his Committee never went to the field to do oversight over the 170 districts, municipalities and cities over which they have authority. He said this omission alone bred corruption and rendered the Committee ineffective yet members were ready to work.
Saying Anita Among had become ‘a demigod,’ Olanya spoke of recruitment of staff as one of the areas through which grand corruption was orchestrated at the Among-led Parliament. He added that it was even worse for Parliament technical staff who were perceived as being disloyal to the demigod.
That in their case, the former speaker would just hear a rumor and ring the staff in question to proclaim their dismissal from work. He said many suffered that way as the former Speaker engaged in endless purges against which no one had the guts to push back. He said that those Among hated were despised and became instant rejects at Parliament. Olanya, who has been MP for several terms, said he had never seen such a decadent and unfit presiding officer who prided in being feared as opposed to being respected.
“She treated Parliament like her personal property and that is why 98% of the MPs are very happy with the President and the CDF for intervening to put things right. Many lived under fear, which wasn’t sustainable. When you are a good person people mourn your departure but in her case, 98% of the MPs are celebrating because she was a very bad person. People had lived under too much fear but they are now free under the new Speaker and you will see them perform their duties well under this newly found freedom.”
During the same media appearance, enabled by NBS whose treacherous managers and editors for years ate in Anita Among’s palm, Olanya also explained why Norbert Mao performed so badly yet he was the best candidate. He said Mao ought to have accepted Richard Todwong’s advice and stood for Laro-Pece MP Seat on the NRM ticket because, that way he was going to be home and dry in as far as his ambition to become Speaker was concerned.
“If he had accepted that advice by Secretary General Richard Todwong, he would be the Speaker as of now. I don’t see how NRM would entrust such a sensitive position with someone who isn’t on their ticket. It was a mistake for him not to let go of the DP Presidency, otherwise he was the best suited.” (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
