Selective Mercy: Anita Among walks free. Questions mount over equal justice

What the report says

The Observer reports that former Ugandan Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has been released from house arrest after President Yoweri Museveni pardoned her. The announcement was made publicly on X by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who said the president had also ordered that she not be prosecuted. According to the report, Among had been under pressure for months, with security forces stationed at her residences, vehicles impounded and investigations under way over alleged corruption, wealth underdeclaration and financial mismanagement linked to her time in Parliament.

The newspaper says the case followed a political split that emerged in mid-May, after Among reportedly resisted stepping aside in the race for Speaker in the 12th Parliament. It adds that her release came after delegations from the Teso subregion appealed to the president and Gen. Salim Saleh, citing her health and financial difficulties. The article frames the outcome as a striking example of how executive intervention can override formal legal processes.

The Observer also notes that other officials associated with Among’s tenure remain in detention, including parliamentary communication director Chris Obore and six others facing corruption-related charges. Their bail hearing is scheduled for September 9, according to the report. The paper says the pardon has renewed public debate over selective justice, especially when compared with the imprisonment of former minister Agnes Nandutu and the ongoing treason case involving opposition figure Kizza Besigye. It presents the episode as part of a wider pattern in Ugandan politics where decisions appear to be shaped by personal power networks rather than transparent institutions.