Among funded your studies, homosexuals didn’t - Obore tells Speaker's critic

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Parliament, Mr Chris Obore, has blasted government and social media critic Joshua Jeje Odea for not being grateful enough to Speaker Anita Among.

This was in reaction to Odea’s comment on recent reported sanctions by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) against the Speaker and other two Ugandan ministers.

The Nile Post reported on Tuesday that UAE had imposed financial sanctions against Among and former ministers, Agnes Nandutu and Mary Goretti Kitutu by restricting the trio from any financial dealing in the country.

Reacting to the development, Jeje, a renowned government critic took to social media platform X, asking Obore to officially respond to the Dubai sanctions.

However, Obore was not amused and instead accused the social media critic of resorting to spreading falsehoods about the Speaker yet she helped to sponsor his studies.

“To the best of my knowledge, Anita helped your father to educate you. She also paid fees for your brother Solomon. Homosexuals didn’t help your father. You should be the one defending her but you pay her back by spreading falsehoods,” he posted.

“The graduation party was held in Anita’s house in Kisaasi. Ask him to deny that,” Obore added.

Without clearly dismissing Obore’s claims, Odoa said the Speaker’s funding for his studies has nothing to do with his sense of judgement.

“I would be surprised if you aimed beyond pettiness. Even if it was true I thought we educate people so that they are enlightened and better their sense of judgement and not to influence them,” Odoa said.

This week, UAE ordered freezing of Among and the two ministers’ properties and assets over ‘mismanagement’ of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable in Karamoja.

UAE’s ban came just days after the UK announced travel bans and asset sanctions on Speaker Among and the two ministers.

In a statement dated April 30, the UK deputy foreign minister Andrew Mitchell said the sanctions had been triggered by the trio’s involvement in taking aid meant for those in need and keeping the proceeds for themselves.

"The UK is sending a clear message that benefiting at the expense of others is not acceptable. Corruption has consequences, and those responsible will be held accountable," Mr Mitchell said.

However, Among has since described the sanctions as “politically motivated” over her stance on the anti-homosexuality bill.