The Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon Anita Among, finds herself in a precarious situation as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) imposes financial sanctions against her and two former ministers, Agnes Nandutu and Mary Goretti Kitutu. The trio, who were recently sanctioned by the United Kingdom, faces further restrictions as the UAE central bank has directed all financial institutions in the country to cease any transactions involving them and to freeze their assets.
The UAE's move comes just a week after the UK imposed asset freezes and travel bans on Speaker Among and the two former ministers for Karamoja Affairs, accusing them of embezzling thousands of iron sheets from a government-funded housing project meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.
According to a statement signed by UK deputy foreign minister Andrew Mitchell, Speaker Among was found to have benefited from the proceeds of the theft. The UK government described the actions of the trio as "the epitome of corruption" and emphasized that corruption has consequences.
In response to the sanctions, Speaker Among has protested, calling them "politically motivated" and a "witch-hunt" against her for her involvement in passing the Anti-Homosexuality Act last year.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan government expressed surprise at the imposition of sanctions on its politicians and emphasized the principle of sovereignty in bilateral relations between the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it looks forward to engaging with the British High Commission in Uganda regarding the matter.
In addition to the financial sanctions, the UAE has instructed that immigration red flags be issued should any of the three individuals attempt to travel through the country. Their properties, if any, have also been ordered frozen until further notice.
When contacted by a local media platform, the Central Bank of UAE, which confirmed that it has communicated the targeted financial sanctions to all licensed financial institutions operating in the country. These institutions are required to immediately freeze or suspend all funds or transactions involving Among, Nandutu, or Kitutu and to report any matches found through the screening process within five business days.
As the Speaker of Parliament and the two former ministers face growing international scrutiny and restrictions, Uganda's sovereignty and its standing in international relations have come under question. With Parliament threatening to withdraw from the Commonwealth Speakers Conference currently chaired by Uganda, the situation continues to escalate, posing challenges for the country's diplomatic relations.
