A major political storm erupted in Uganda on Friday night after reports emerged that a joint security team led by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), backed by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces under the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA), raided the residence of Parliament Speaker Anita Among as part of an ongoing corruption investigation.
According to security sources, the operation is linked to allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering involving the powerful Speaker, whose rapid accumulation of wealth has in recent years triggered public scrutiny both locally and internationally.
The dramatic development comes at a politically sensitive moment, just hours after reports surfaced that Among had allegedly been pressured during a State House meeting to step aside from the race for the next speakership.
Details surrounding the raid remained tightly guarded by security agencies by press time, but highly placed sources indicated that investigators were searching for documents, electronic devices, financial records and property ownership information believed to be linked to the probe.
The reported raid marks the most serious domestic action yet against Among, who has for months faced mounting pressure over allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth.
In 2024, the United Kingdom sanctioned Among under its Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime, accusing her of stealing from vulnerable communities in Uganda. The sanctions included a travel ban and asset freeze. The United States later imposed similar sanctions targeting the Speaker and other senior Ugandan officials over alleged corruption and human rights abuses.
The latest developments are likely to send shockwaves through Uganda’s political establishment, where Among has risen rapidly from district woman MP to one of the most influential figures in government.
Her political troubles appear to have intensified in recent weeks amid growing divisions within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). Reports published Friday indicated that a high-level State House meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni discussed the controversy surrounding Among’s wealth accumulation and its political fallout.
At the same time, political momentum appears to be shifting toward Defence Minister Jacob Oboth-Oboth, who is increasingly being viewed as a possible replacement for Among in the speakership race.
Among’s tenure as Speaker has been marked by both aggressive political consolidation and repeated controversy. Critics have frequently questioned the source of her wealth empire, which includes schools, a sports complex, a teaching hospital and high-end real estate developments. Supporters, however, have defended her as a self-made politician and successful entrepreneur.
By Friday evening, neither CID nor the UPDF had issued an official statement confirming the raid. Attempts to obtain a comment from Among’s known aides were unsuccessful.
The unfolding corruption probe now threatens to become one of the biggest political scandals in Uganda in recent years, with analysts warning that any formal charges against the Speaker could significantly reshape the balance of power within both Parliament and the ruling party.
The developments also come amid heightened anti-corruption rhetoric from sections of government, with security agencies increasingly taking a front-line role in investigations involving politically exposed individuals.
If confirmed officially, the raid on Among’s residence would represent an extraordinary escalation in the state’s handling of corruption allegations involving a sitting Speaker of Parliament — one of the highest offices in Uganda’s government.
More details are expected as investigators continue their operations.
