A growing wave of political unrest is sweeping through the Teso sub-region as residents of Bukedea District formally petition President Yoweri Museveni to back their demands for a fresh parliamentary election.
Local voters are demanding a by-election for the Bukedea District Woman Member of Parliament seat, a position currently held by the embattled former Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among. The residents argue that their constitutional right to democratically choose their representative was systematically denied.
The Root of the Grievance: The ‘Unopposed’ Controversy
During the election cycle, Anita Among sailed through “unopposed” after her challengers were structurally disqualified from the final ballot.
According to local residents, a legal challenge engineered through family proxies claimed that the primary female contenders challenging Among were not legitimate residents of Bukedea District. Backed by extensive legal and political influence, Among won the court battle, forcing a coronation rather than a contested democratic vote.
“We didn’t elect our District Woman Member of Parliament. Anita Among forced herself on the people of Bukedea, but we didn’t vote for her. Our right to participate was stolen,” stated Patrick Okurut, a resident of Kabarwa.
Calls for Political Accountability and Fresh Polls
For many in the district, the lack of real competition has left a bitter taste. Locals report that the benefits of her legislative placement have only reached a select few well-connected individuals rather than the grassroots population.
Caroline Amuge from Bukedea Town Council summarized the community’s demand:
“We want a by-election in Bukedea. We should participate in electing our legitimate representative, not someone who relies on court orders to block competition.”
The Downfall: House Arrest and Assets Seized
The local resistance has intensified in tandem with a rapid downfall for the once-untouchable political heavyweight.
Following a sweeping anti-corruption directive launched under Operation End Corruption, a joint security team consisting of the Police and Defence Intelligence has carried out extensive searches across Among’s luxurious properties in Kampala and Bukedea.
Current Status of the Anita Among Investigation:
├── Stripped of official speakership race backing
├── Confined to house arrest under Special Forces Guard
├── Fleet of luxury vehicles (including a Rolls-Royce) seized by Police
└── Active plans underway to strip her of NRM CEC membership
Celebrations Erump in Teso Sub-Region
Ever since joint security forces descended upon and cordoned off her regional residences, localized celebrations have broken out in parts of Bukedea and the wider Teso sub-region.
Residents have openly described the ongoing criminal probe and asset seizures as a long-overdue moment of justice against an administrative regime they characterize as exclusionary and arrogant. As the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) mapping of financial trails expands, the political future of Bukedea’s contentious woman representative hangs by a thread.
