Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has eaten his words as past statements of him praising Speaker Anita Among return to haunt him.
Norbert Mao, the Democratic Party (DP) president general and newly elected Laroo-Pece MP, is in the race for speaker of parliament, a position currently held by Anita Among, the Bukedea District Woman MP and second national vice chairperson (female) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
He recently asked the NRM to reject Anita Among, labelling her an injured soldier and one that should be ditched by her own party. He also suggested that rumors of Anita Among acquiring multibillion properties, and a Shs3.5bn Rolls Royce pointed to the speaker’s corruption.
But Mao’s criticism of Anita Among was greeted with a reminder that he once praised her as being generous and the corruption allegations as being politically motivated.
When he spoke as chief guest at celebrations to mark 122 years of the existence of Namilyango College in Mukono District on March 23, 2024, Norbert Mao said that he believed that Speaker Anita Among was a victim of political witch-hunt.
“I know the Speaker very well. Right now, when you check her bank account, she has no single coin. Her account balance is zero because she donates all her earnings to individuals with problems, churches, public projects and schools. Even Namilyango College is a beneficiary of her generosity,” Mao said.
“I am surprised when people come out and start attacking my sister Among claiming she is corrupt. The speaker is a victim of political witch-hunt. Ugandans should stop mixing politics with development.”
At the time Mao defended Among, an online Uganda Parliament Exhibition by Agora Discourse leaders Agather Atuhaire and Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo had exposed corruption in the leadership and management of affairs in the legislative arm of government.
Atuhaire spoke out on reminders to Mao who once defended Among. “I can’t stop laughing at this [the reminders]. I am happy you people keep receipts because I knew he had defended her at some point but didn’t remember the zeal with which he did I swear politicians are not normal people,” she wrote.
Norbert Mao then tried to defend himself, saying it would be easier for the speaker to convicted than it would for him.
“I stand corrected. Thanks to new data. Even those who believed that the sun moved around the earth eventually changed their position when faced with new information,” wrote Mao.
“But let’s face this matter with seriousness and honesty: assuming both I and the outgoing Speaker were charged with corruption and knowing the high standard for a criminal conviction, namely beyond reasonable doubt, whose file would have enough evidence to secure a conviction?”
But Atuhaire called out Mao as dishonest and a self-centred opportunist who only says what suits his political interests.
“It is not new data. It is dishonesty, opportunism and self-centeredness. Admitting and saying publicly that she is corrupt suits you now. It didn’t then when she was sending you as her representative at events and sharing with you the loot in form of fuel and allowances. Yes, it is true her file would have more evidence to secure a conviction,” wrote Atuhaire.
“I mean her file might have even more evidence than Kuteesa, but it doesn’t absolve you who defended her corruption and now you are condemning it because you want the speakership.”
This week, Norbert Mao accused Anita Among of irresponsibly showing off with her Shs3.5bn Rolls Royce, as reported Here.
Also read about Museveni’s demand for answers on Anita Among’s source of wealth Here.
Norbert Mao has previously labelled Anita Among an accidental speaker who took the job after Jacob Oulanyah died. Anita Among has since fired back at Norbert Mao. (See Details Here and There).
The Norbert Mao-Anita Among war of words escalated last month during the Kyankwanzi retreat when the minister accused speaker of bad manners and the speaker warned the minister against crossing to the NRM bedroom. (See Details Here and There).
