Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has dismissed reports suggesting she intends to contest for the presidency in 2031, saying instead that she plans to retire from active politics and support a successor backed by President Yoweri Museveni.
Speaking on Monday in Kampala during a high-profile charity event, Among contributed UGX 100 million to the “MK Run,” an initiative marking the 52nd birthday of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba scheduled for April 26, 2026. “I have heard some people saying Anita Among wants to stand for the presidency in 2031. I want to tell Ugandans that in 2031, I am retiring from active politics,” she said, dismissing the claims as “rubbish” and “total nonsense.”
Among further downplayed ambitions for higher office, saying the role of a Member of Parliament alone is demanding enough and that she does not see herself suited for the presidency.
The event was organised by the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pro-government mobilisation group aligned with President Museveni and Gen. Kainerugaba. The “MK Run” has been repositioned as a philanthropic initiative supporting vulnerable children, orphanages, and disadvantaged urban youth.
PLU officials, including mobilisation director Michael Mawanda and secretary general David Kabanda, praised Among’s contribution and political loyalty. Kabanda also revealed that Gen. Kainerugaba had previously directed support for Among’s re-election as Speaker.
She has previously publicly aligned herself with the First Family, including naming a major block at Bukedea Comprehensive Senior Secondary School after “General M.K.” and repeatedly affirming loyalty to President Museveni. She rose to the Speakership in March 2022 following the death of her predecessor, Jacob Oulanyah, after serving briefly as Deputy Speaker.
Her latest remarks have renewed debate over parliamentary independence and the Speaker’s constitutional role within the Parliament of Uganda. Uganda’s Constitution assigns Parliament legislative authority and oversight functions, while requiring the Speaker to preside impartially over proceedings and safeguard institutional independence. However, analysts caution that strong political alignment with the executive may weaken this balance.Political analysts note that Uganda’s governance structure remains heavily influenced by patronage politics under the long rule of the National Resistance Movement, with succession dynamics increasingly shaping political discourse ahead of 2031.
International governance assessments have also consistently flagged concerns about democratic space and institutional independence in Uganda. Within this context, initiatives like the MK Run—while framed as charitable—are often seen by critics as also carrying political mobilisation significance ahead of future transitions.
