They Committed Treason! Here Are The Big Corruption Scandals of Parliament For Which Museveni Won’t Forgive Among, Tayebwa

WatchdogugandaApr 22, 2026Read original

President Yoweri Museveni’s recent outburst before the newly elected Members of Parliament was not a casual reprimand. It was a thunderclap, a stern reminder that corruption is the one sin he detests above all others, and a clear signal that the 11th Parliament under Anita Among has left him deeply disappointed. In his words, corruption is “treason against the people,” and his warning carried the weight of a man who has seen his vision for Uganda undermined by the greed of those entrusted with power. To the fresh MP-elects, Museveni’s message was simple: do not repeat the shame of your predecessors. To the outgoing leadership of Parliament, it was a verdict—one that may well spell the end of Among and her deputy Tayebwa’s hold on the House.

The scandals that engulfed the 11th Parliament were not minor lapses but monumental betrayals of public trust. The missing CPC buses scandal remains etched in the public memory. Buses procured for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference vanished into thin air, only for one to resurface at Bukedea Comprehensive School, a private institution linked to Speaker Anita Among. The discovery of altered number plates was damning evidence of deliberate concealment. The financial loss was staggering, with estimates running into billions of shillings, money that should have served the nation but instead became a symbol of impunity. Museveni, who has long prided himself on discipline within the state machinery, could not forgive such brazen theft.

Then came the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, a saga that drew international condemnation. Iron sheets meant for the poorest communities in Karamoja were diverted, and the scandal reached the Speaker’s doorstep. The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Anita Among, citing corruption and misuse of public resources. The numbers were chilling—over 100,000 iron sheets valued at billions of shillings were misallocated, leaving vulnerable families in the cold while leaders enriched themselves. Museveni’s fury was palpable. For a man who has often defended his government against accusations of mismanagement, this scandal was indefensible. It was not just theft; it was betrayal of the most vulnerable Ugandans.

The rot did not stop there. Journalists unearthed documents showing massive cash withdrawals from Parliament through private accounts linked to Among and her staff. These withdrawals, often disguised as outreach or community projects, amounted to hundreds of millions of shillings. The practice violated parliamentary financial rules and exposed a culture of patronage politics. Museveni, who has repeatedly warned against the misuse of public funds, saw in this scandal the erosion of the very integrity of Parliament. The statistics were damning: in one quarter alone, over UGX 500 million was withdrawn without proper accountability. For a President who has built his legacy on the promise of stability and discipline, such recklessness was intolerable.

The service awards scandal further stained the 11th Parliament’s record. Over UGX 1.7 billion was distributed to parliamentary commissioners as “service awards,” a move widely condemned as misuse of funds. The public outrage was immense, and Museveni’s silence at the time was telling. He was watching, noting the betrayal, and waiting for the moment to deliver his verdict. That moment came in his recent speech, where he reminded the new MPs that corruption is a cancer that eats away at the nation’s soul. His disappointment in the outgoing House was unmistakable.

Even the inflated travel per diems claimed by parliamentary leaders became a scandal in itself. Reports indicated that Among and her team claimed excessive allowances during foreign trips, draining the public purse. The figures were eye-watering—millions of shillings spent on luxury while ordinary Ugandans struggled with rising costs of living. Museveni, who has often preached frugality and sacrifice, could not stomach such extravagance. His warning to the new MPs was a direct rebuke of this culture of excess.

Museveni’s recent warnings must be understood in this context. They were not abstract lectures but a direct indictment of the 11th Parliament’s failures. His words carried the weight of statistics, the billions lost, the iron sheets stolen, the buses vanished, the cash siphoned, the allowances inflated. Each scandal was a nail in the coffin of Among’s credibility, and Museveni’s outburst suggested that he may be ready to bury that coffin. The President’s disappointment was not just personal; it was political. He has long relied on Parliament as a pillar of his governance, but the 11th House under Among became a liability, a source of shame rather than pride.

The implications are profound. Museveni’s warning could mean that he is done with Among and Tayebwa, that he is preparing to usher in a new setup at Parliament. His message to the new MPs was not just about avoiding corruption; it was about restoring the dignity of the institution. He reminded them that leadership is about service, not self-enrichment, and that corruption is a betrayal of the people’s trust. His tone was that of a man who has lost patience, who has seen enough scandals to know that the current leadership cannot be salvaged.

Quotes from his speech underline this resolve. “Corruption is treason,” he thundered, “and those who engage in it are enemies of the people.” He warned that the new MPs must not follow the path of their predecessors, who squandered billions and betrayed the nation. His words were not just warnings; they were judgments. The statistics he cited were not mere numbers; they were evidence of betrayal. The billions lost in service awards, the hundreds of millions siphoned through private accounts, the iron sheets stolen from Karamoja’s poor—these were the charges against the 11th Parliament, and Museveni was the judge delivering the verdict.

The political fallout is inevitable. Among and Tayebwa may find themselves sidelined as Museveni seeks to restore credibility to Parliament. The new MPs, warned in no uncertain terms, will be expected to chart a different course. The scandals of the 11th Parliament will serve as cautionary tales, reminders of what happens when leaders betray their mandate. Museveni’s outburst was not just about corruption; it was about leadership, integrity, and the future of Uganda’s governance.

In remembering the big corruption scandals of the 11th Parliament, one sees not just the failures of individuals but the betrayal of an institution. The missing buses, the stolen iron sheets, the illicit cash withdrawals, the inflated allowances, the dubious service awards—all these scandals form a litany of shame that Museveni cannot forgive. His warnings to the new MPs were a call to redemption, a demand for a new beginning. For Among and Tayebwa, they were a death knell, a signal that their time at the helm may be over. For Uganda, they were a reminder that corruption is not just theft but treason, and that the fight against it is the fight for the nation’s soul.