On April 30, the United Kingdom announced its first-ever corruption-related sanctions against Uganda, targeting Ms Among, Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu, and Ms Agness Nandutu, both former ministers responsible for the restive mineral-rich Karamoja region. The sanctions consist of travel bans and asset freezes.

Britain’s deputy foreign minister, Andrew Mitchell, said in a statement that Kitutu and Nandutu stole a significant quantity of iron sheets from a government-funded housing initiative intended to aid vulnerable communities in Karamoja. Among was said to have benefitted from the stolen materials.

President Museveni wrote in a May 2 letter that was made public for the first time on Friday (May 10) that he met the British High Commissioner to Uganda, Kate Airey OBE, hours before the sanctions were announced.

“The meeting was at Nakasero but I was on my way to Entebbe for other meetings. I, therefore, did not have time to discuss with anybody the issue. 

The High Commissioner told me that they intended to sanction the Honorables; Kitutu and Nandutu for their roles in the mabaati (iron sheets) issue.

” I would like, by the copy of this letter to ask the Attorney-General the legality of this action since this is a purely internal matter for Uganda,” Museveni wrote adding “The alleged theft was discovered by our agencies and the Uganda courts are handling the case. The accused are not yet convicted. How do other countries come into the matter? Attorney-General advise,” Mr Museveni writes in the letter.

In the latter, the president says he was told the Speaker owns a house or houses in the UK and bank accounts through which she has been wiring school fees to students in the UK.

“Why would a Ugandan leader build or buy houses in the UK or anywhere else abroad, when Uganda, the still under-developed country where she would have earned the money, still needs those investments? It would definitely be a moral and ideological mistake,” Mr Museveni writes in the letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen Jeje Odongo, and copied to the Speaker, the IGG, the Minister of State for Integrity, and the Attorney General.

According to the president, the issue of houses would be “very interesting” if, especially, Ms Among did not declare them in her Leadership Code documents. 

“If she had declared them, then the next issue would be how she got the money to build them. If these two are answered correctly and showing no mistake, the remaining issue would be political, ideological judgment,” he said.

 The president reportedly told Ms Airey that the Uganda Government would demand from the UK Government more information about this. 

He said the attorney-General and Ministry of Foreign Affairs would advise on how this can be done and the appropriate authority to go ahead and do it.

 Meanwhile, Museveni wrote, “by the copies of this letter, I request the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and Minister of Integrity to inform me if the Rt. Hon. Anita Among declared in her forms of the Leadership Code her owning of a house or houses in the UK”.

On the issue of bank accounts  Museveni told the High Commissioner ” it may not be a serious issue if she sent legitimately earned money to support the children who are studying there”.

During a May 3 plenary session, Ms Among claimed the sanctions stemmed from her opposition to homosexuality. She linked them to her role in presiding over the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was later signed into law by President Museveni.

The Speaker downplayed the sanctions, stating that she neither owns property in the UK nor desires to travel there. She emphasized her loyalty to Uganda and dismissed the accusations.

“I am told [that] I have so many assets in the UK and lots of accounts in the UK. Unfortunately, I have only been in the UK once. I don’t even have a pussycat in the UK. I have always said that I have a permanent passport to Bukedea and Buyende districts. I don’t need a visa to UK. So, honorable members, you need to be very firm and fight for your position. Just imagine it is your kid who is being sodomized. I have interacted [with some officials] and we have gotten to know what the sanctions are about. At an appropriate time, the Head of State will also respond to it because it is an indictment on the Parliament of Uganda,” she said.

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Among, who also serves as the Bukedea Woman MP, was singled out along with former Karamoja ministers, Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, for travel bans and asset freezes due to their involvement in the iron sheets theft scandal. 

Despite the implication of several high-ranking officials in diverting iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja, only three ministers faced criminal charges, leading to criticism of selective prosecution.

During parliamentary proceedings, Among expressed frustration over the delayed government response to the sanctions, framing it as an attack on Uganda’s sovereignty rather than just herself. She hinted at being targeted due to her role in passing anti-homosexuality legislation but asserted her willingness to bear the burden for Uganda’s populace. However, some Ugandans, under the hashtag #NotMyCross, urged her to shoulder accountability without invoking the anti-gay law.

Amidst the controversy, Among emphasized Uganda’s sovereignty and urged the UK to respect its cultural values. She claimed innocence regarding the iron sheets scandal, stating she returned the disputed items upon learning of the investigation. However, her public image has suffered amid numerous corruption allegations during her tenure.

In response, Chris Obore, director of communication and public affairs, disputed the UK’s basis for sanctions, emphasizing Among’s lack of corruption charges in Uganda. Nevertheless, his response was criticized for its perceived lack of diplomacy, prompting Among to admonish the Foreign Affairs Ministry for its delayed reaction.

Despite bipartisan support for Among, some MPs called for Foreign Affairs to address the matter diplomatically. Others, like Asuman Basaliwa, acknowledged the UK’s right to sanction individuals but stressed the importance of respecting other countries’ sovereignty. However, Ssemujju Nganda questioned the necessity of a government statement given Among’s apparent indifference to the sanctions.

John Mulimba, Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed surprise at the sanctions and pledged to engage with British authorities while affirming Uganda’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Ekanya proposed stronger diplomatic action, including possibly withdrawing from the Commonwealth, considering Among’s leadership roles in Commonwealth bodies.

Patrick Nsamba Oshabe criticized the handling of corruption allegations and questioned the targeting of specific individuals in the sanctions. The UK defended its actions as a deterrent against corruption, emphasizing accountability for those exploiting others.

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These sanctions, announced on Tuesday, mark the first instance of the UK government utilizing the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime to target individuals implicated in corruption in Uganda.

The measures encompass asset freezes and travel restrictions against the named individuals.

Deputy Foreign Secretary of the UK, Andrew Mitchell, disclosed the sanctions against Among and the ex-ministers Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, who were recently dismissed from their ministerial positions overseeing Karamoja.

This move aligns with the UK’s ongoing commitment to combat serious corruption worldwide, as emphasized in a statement from the foreign office.

These sanctions against Among follow previous penalties imposed by the United States in connection with her involvement in the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2023.

Allegations surfaced last year accusing government officials of misappropriating thousands of iron sheets intended for infrastructure projects in Karamoja, diverting them to influential politicians and their families instead. Among was purportedly among the beneficiaries, according to the UK government.

The initial list of individuals implicated in the corruption scandal included several high-ranking officials, highlighting the severity of the issue. Mitchell condemned such actions, emphasizing that corruption, particularly when it deprives vulnerable communities of aid, is reprehensible and warrants severe consequences.

Under the asset freeze, the sanctioned individuals are prohibited from accessing any funds or economic resources held in the UK, and UK citizens or businesses are barred from engaging in transactions with them. Additionally, their existing visas have been invalidated, and they are ineligible for visa issuance until further notice. These sanctions serve as a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated and those responsible will be held to account.

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