Teso Iron Lady, Among Anita sails through unopposed
By Our Reporter
Bukedea woman Member of Parliament and also Teso’s iron lady Among Anita has successfully sailed through to the next Parliament after the Electoral Commission disqualified two candidates who had submitted their nomination forms over forged academic papers and signatures.
Among becomes the seventh National Resistance Movement (NRM) Member of Parliament to sail through unopposed to the 11th Parliament. She will now only wait to be sworn into the next Parliament.
In an interview Among attributed her success to the fact that she was consistent and served her people well. “I am extremely happy that I have been elected as unopposed to represent my people in the 11th Parliament. I am grateful to my voters in Bukedea and I promise to serve them better. I feel so sweet. The victory is so relieving and I am now going to focus on securing votes for my president,” Among said.
The other six NRM candidates who have sailed through to the next Parliament include Ik county’s Hilary Lokang in Kaabong district, Bugahya county’s Pius Wakabi in Hoima district, Gyaviira Ssemwanga, who defeated the current MP for Buyamba Amos Mandela, Arua district’s Lilian Paparu Obiale, Buyanja East’s Emely Kugonza, and Nakaseke North’s Enock Nyongore.
Among, a long-time member of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change political party declined the party ticket in 2016 and ran as an independent candidate defeating the former Internal Affairs Minister Rose Akol.
She would later emerge as President Yoweri Museveni’s blue-eyed girl in Parliament leaving many of her colleagues wondering where she derived her powers and influence from. Among amassed strong respect and influence in the house and also had strong connection both in State House and among the business community in the country.
Among is credited with introducing a number of development project for her people in Bukedea and also offered scholarships to the needy. She has also set up a model school in the area, a powerful local radio station among others.
In April last year, President Yoweri Museveni described her as a good independent MP thus asking other legislators to emulate her.
Museveni would later spent the whole day in Bukedea launching a number of development projects spearheaded by Among, which included a science laboratory at Bukedea Comprehensive School named Yoweri Museveni Science Laboratory, laying a foundation stone for Bukedea teaching hospital and opening of a new radio station in area among other projects.
Museveni, who educated the residents of Bukedea on how they can fight the escalating poverty, explained why he worked with Among despite not being an NRM legislator.
“Honorable Among came as an independent and has turned out to be a good independent. She has developed her area. I have been to schools that she has built using her personal money. I have also supported her. She is a bit like me when i went to the bush because i did not know where the guns would come from but i started,” Museveni said during a public rally in Bukedea district in April.
Among holds a First class Bachelor of Business Administration from Makerere University, a post-graduate Diploma in Banking from Uganda Martyrs University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration degree from Makerere University. In 2018 she attained a first class Bachelor of Laws degree Kampala International University.