The current Speaker of the 11th Parliament Hon. Anita Among has revealed how she will be stepping down as the Speaker of Parliament. She made the remarks at the Thanksgiving Ceremony the deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Thomas Tayebwa organized for his father in Mitooma District.
Hon Among while addressing the audience said that it’s not good clinging on power. Therefore, she won’t be doing it. She will instead serve one term and step down after that. She asked the people of Ruhinda North in Mitooma to make sure that they send Hon Tayebwa back to Parliament.
This is because he’s down to earth and she would like him to take the mantle from her when she steps down as the Speaker.
“I want to thank the people of Mitooma district for giving us a leader such as Hon Thomas Tayebwa. He is so down to earth and a very lovable character. I hope you people send him back to Parliament because I want him to take over from me as the Speaker of Parliament when I step down. I have just one term to serve and I won’t cling onto power because it’s not good,” she said.
Apart from the late Hon Jacob Oulanyah who died just as he had started his term as the Speaker of Parliament, all the previous Speakers have served two terms under the NRM government. If Hon Anita Among does indeed step down, she will be the first to serve one term that wasn’t even initially hers.
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Meanwhile it’s not clear if this was originally her plan or if she has succumbed to public pressure. The speaker has been painted as the face of corruption in Parliament. Protests last week were organized by the youths dubbed March to Parliament. Among the conditions these youths demanded was for her to step down.
