By Aggrey Baba
The probe into alleged corruption and extravagant spending linked to former Speaker of Parliament and Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among has now stretched beyond Parliament, with outgoing State Minister for Foreign Affairs (Regional Cooperation) John Mulimba calling for investigations into the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretariat led by Rt.Hon. Richard Todwong, Secretary General.
Mulimba has asked Chief of Defence Forces, also first son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba to establish a secure and confidential office where MPs, party cadres and ordinary citizens can safely submit information related to corruption and abuse of public resources without fear of intimidation.
Amidst the growing scrutiny surrounding the financial dealings and spending habits associated with Among’s leadership in Parliament, Mulimba has spoken, saying that the ongoing investigations should not stop at Parliament alone, but should also extend to Kyadondo, the NRM Secretariat and individuals he accuses of commercialising recent internal party elections through massive cash handouts.
The minister alleged that during campaigns leading to the recent NRM elections (primaries), sacks of money were openly moved around by candidates and senior party figures to mobilise against him, and to influence voters.
Mulimba claimed he personally witnessed candidates moving with billions of shillings in convoys of vehicles, saying some cars were specifically designated to transport money.
“You would see someone moving with three vehicles, but one of them was specifically carrying money,” he said while describing the scale of spending during the campaigns.
He further alleged that in his own constituency of Samia Bugwe, senior NRM cadres and leaders camped in the area with about Ugx 7 billion, which he said was used to lure away his supporters and coordinators.
According to Mulimba, some of his mobilisers were allegedly given between Ugx 5 million and Ugx 10 million to abandon him, while voters on polling
day reportedly received between Ugx 50,000 and Ugx 100,000 in exchange for support, political troubles he linked to his association with Bukono Woman MP Persis Namuganza, a long-time critic and known thorn in Anita Among’s flesh.
Mulimba suggested that many influential figures within the party, influenced by Among, turned against him because he chose to side with Namuganza during her fallout with the former Speaker.
Namuganza has previously clashed with Among and Parliament leadership, particularly during the 2023 censure proceedings in which MPs, mobilised by Among, moved to remove her from her ministerial position over allegations of misconduct and abuse of office.
Mulimba’s campaign is expected to deepen internal tensions within the NRM at a time when the ongoing corruption investigations are increasingly drawing in senior and feared political figures and institutions beyond the August House. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
