Former rivals swap roles as Zaake vows rule-based leadership over Among

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1114 EAT on Thursday 16 July 2026

Just two years ago, Francis Zaake and Anita Annet Among stood on opposite sides of one of Parliament’s most contentious power struggles.

As Speaker of Parliament, Among presided over the process that removed the outspoken Mityana Municipality MP from the Parliamentary Commission, a decision Zaake has consistently maintained was politically motivated.

The political landscape has since shifted. Zaake now chairs Parliament’s Committee on Government Assurance and Implementation, on which Among serves as a member. Rather than seeking retribution, Zaake says he intends to take a different approach.

He says he will welcome the former Speaker, lead the committee in accordance with the rules she helped establish and, in his words, demonstrate “how leadership is supposed to be exercised.”

For Zaake, the reversal of roles is about more than personal vindication. He says it serves as a reminder that political fortunes can change quickly, with today’s leader becoming tomorrow’s subordinate, and that those entrusted with power should lead with humility because authority is never permanent.

“I would not describe it as a credible election. The process was deeply flawed. Many people assume that once a winner is declared, it means the election was conducted properly, but that was not the case.

The election was marred by violence and widespread irregularities. In Mityana, in particular, there were numerous incidents. We witnessed multiple arrests, many people sustained injuries and, before the results were announced, at least one person had died.

A body was reportedly left on the back of a pickup truck by the roadside and, to the best of my knowledge, that death has never been accounted for. There were also widespread failures of biometric voter verification machines at several polling stations, leaving many eligible voters unable to cast their ballots.”

He said his survival was largely due to the support of people who stood by him throughout the process. He noted that they not only voted for him but also campaigned with him and continued protesting until his victory was declared.

“First, I am deeply grateful to my party. It is through the party’s support that Parliament endorsed me, and I appreciate our president for entrusting me with this responsibility.

That confidence gives me the opportunity to hold the government accountable for the commitments it has made to the people of Uganda, particularly from the floor of Parliament. I am honoured to have been given a platform to advocate for the fulfilment of those promises,” he said.

“Winning the position is important, but what matters even more is using it as a platform to advocate for the many promises made to Ugandans that are yet to be fulfilled under this government. We view these positions as opportunities to advance the struggle.

As you have seen in Parliament, I use every available avenue, including robust debate and other lawful means, to ensure that our voices are heard. I intend to use this role in the same way — to help demonstrate that the struggle is making meaningful progress for Ugandans,” he said.

He said there are several issues that require attention, beginning with current affairs and concerns arising from the recent elections.

“Most importantly, we have to start with current affairs. People are demanding accountability for what happened during the elections, and those concerns must be addressed,” he said.

He also criticised remarks attributed to the Electoral Commission chairperson regarding the release of Declaration of Results (DR) forms, saying election information should be made available through established procedures.

“I have heard the chairperson of the Electoral Commission say that we must kneel before him for him to upload all the Declaration of Results forms. No, that is not how it works,” he said.

He said the law requires the Electoral Commission to make the Declaration of Results (DR) forms available and that he would raise the matter in Parliament for further action.

“The law is clear; he is required to upload them. I will ensure that this matter is raised on the floor of Parliament, referred to the relevant committee and followed up accordingly,” he said.

He added that other pressing national issues, including the poor state of roads, also require urgent attention.

“If you ask Ugandans about roads that were promised, budgeted for, but were never constructed or completed, they will give you countless examples, including in my constituency and many other parts of the country,” he said.

He noted, however, that addressing such challenges would require collective effort, as the responsibility does not rest solely with him as committee chairperson.

“This is not something I can do alone as chairperson of the committee. It is the responsibility of the entire committee. The challenge, however, is that the opposition has only two members on it,” he said.

Asked to clarify whether only two opposition members sit on the committee, he said the other members are from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

He identified the two opposition representatives as himself and his deputy, Ann Ebaju Adeke of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), whom he described as capable and articulate.
“She is highly capable and very articulate, and I look forward to working with her,” he said.

As Parliament begins a new chapter following the changes in its leadership and committee structures, the focus now shifts to how effectively the institution will address public concerns, strengthen accountability and deliver on issues affecting ordinary Ugandans.

For the new committee leadership, the task ahead will be balancing oversight responsibilities with the political realities of a Parliament where the opposition remains a minority. How these dynamics play out will determine whether key issues, from electoral accountability to service delivery challenges, receive meaningful attention on the national stage.

-Observer

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