Speaker Among hails Museveni, UPDF as 12th parliament MPs take oath

• Speaker Anita Among thanks President Museveni and security forces for their role in maintaining peace.

• Among emphasizes the importance of MPs focusing on citizens’ needs during their tenure.

• She praised the 11th parliament’s work but left her bid for a second term unaddressed.

Speaker Anita Among today hailed President Yoweri Museveni and the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) for their role in maintaining peace, as she and 528 other Members of Parliament (MPs) took the oath of office to kick off the 12th parliament.

Among, who was reelected as the Bukedea District Woman MP, expressed her deep gratitude to President Museveni for entrusting her with the responsibility of leading the parliament. 

"I want to thank President Yoweri Museveni who has entrusted me with a very big responsibility of running this parliament. I am highly indebted to him and I want to thank the security forces for maintaining peace in this country. I wish all Ugandans the very best; I also congratulate President Yoweri Museveni upon his swearing-in," she said.

In her message to the newly sworn-in MPs, Among called on them to put the interests of Ugandans first. 

"My message to the MPs of the 12th parliament who are swearing in today, as you heard yesterday; this is ‘Kisanja no sleep.’ We must be able to work for citizens and for humanity and concentrate on what affects the local person," she added.

While Among celebrated the achievements of the 11th parliament, she acknowledged the need for continued dedication in the coming term. 

"The 11th parliament has been a very good parliament, we have done a lot of work. It is one of the most remarkable parliaments that we have had in the history of parliaments," she concluded.

The speaker however, avoided reporters' questions around the ongoing controversy surrounding her bid for a second term in office.