In a few months’ time, Members of Parliament will elect a new Speaker for the next five years. Anita Among is expected to be unopposed, but that is not assured because there are many machinations going on behind the scenes that make her position somewhat insecure.
This has created room for an ongoing debate about the kind of Speaker the country needs. Do we need eloquence and sophistication, or results? Among belongs to the latter.
When it comes to the speakership, Among is the best-suited person to retain the seat.
You can hardly find a Member of Parliament, even among those in the opposition, who is openly critical of her. That alone says a great deal about the kind of leadership she offers.
Under her watch, Parliament has received a bigger budget. She has overseen the passage of more bills than any of her predecessors. Beyond the chambers, she has invested heavily across the country in sectors such as education and sports, and the results are visible for anyone to see.
If there is one area where she has faced difficulty, it is the unnecessary tension her leadership has created in the Busoga sub-region. That remains her only real undoing.
Personally, I feel that Norbert Mao, who is often mentioned as a potential rival for the speakership, still needs time to find his footing. Perhaps 2031 will be his moment. He is a good orator, no question, but being Speaker demands a level of shrewdness he has not yet attained.
Among may not have the kind of charisma that fills a room, but she is effective. And in politics, effectiveness often matters more than style.
President Museveni already has his hands full managing the political situation in Busoga after the unceremonious departure of Rebecca Kadaga as Speaker. He cannot afford to lose Among as well. Doing so would only escalate tensions in that region and beyond.
So, for the sake of stability, Among should be allowed to complete her two terms.
She has learned from the mistakes of the past four years as Speaker, and there is every reason to believe she can correct them going forward.
On a personal level, I find her to be very down-to-earth. She is consistently punctual, and if there is a change in programme, she communicates it personally. That kind of attentiveness is rare.
She is deeply pragmatic and grounded. What you see is what you get. There is no pretense with her, which is an uncommon trait among Ugandan politicians.
Among has also started numerous projects aimed at empowering people, and many of those initiatives risk stalling if she leaves the speakership. She has already transformed the lives of thousands.
When Kadaga left the speakership, several of her projects crumbled. Have you noted how works on the road from Kayunga–Kamuli Bridge to Kamuli are no longer spoken about at the implementation level? Her subject at Makerere University is no longer on the students’ education menu since she lost the speakership. That pattern should not be repeated when it comes to Among’s mega projects in the region.
Among now needs to consolidate support across Busoga, Mbale, Soroti, and even up to Karamoja. She has that bloc firmly behind the NRM, and that is something worth preserving.
All in all, Among has a pragmatic and grounded character. That is why she gets results—and that is what matters, not rhetoric.
The author is a concerned citizen.
