The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has urged members of Parliament not to vote for a corrupt and luxurious Speaker for the 12th Parliament.
Muhoozi launched a direct political attack on Speaker of Parliament Anita Among over her reported acquisition of a luxury Rolls-Royce Cullinan, saying leaders entrusted with public resources should not live extravagantly while millions of Ugandans remain trapped in poverty.
Muhoozi’s remarks, made through a series of posts on X, have intensified political debate within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and added pressure on Among, whose leadership has recently faced scrutiny over Parliament’s spending and accountability. And also a divide and rule system in her position as she does not coordinate for party unity but division.
“We cannot support a corrupt and luxurious Speaker,” Muhoozi said.
The comments followed reports that Among recently acquired a Rolls-Royce Cullinan 2025 model, one of the world’s most expensive luxury SUVs, reportedly worth about Shs2.2 billion before taxes and import charges.
According to reports, the vehicle was imported into Uganda from the United Kingdom through Albeity Limited, a company that previously attracted public attention after supplying luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicles to parliamentary leadership in 2022.
The latest controversy has reignited public anger over alleged lavish spending by top government officials at a time when many Ugandans continue to face rising living costs, unemployment and poor access to basic services such as healthcare, clean water and electricity.
Muhoozi appeared to distance both himself and President Yoweri Museveni from such displays of wealth, saying even the President has never embraced that kind of luxury lifestyle.
“I have been Mzee’s son for 52 years but I have never sat in a Rolls Royce ever. I don’t think Mzee has sat in one either,” Muhoozi posted.
He also defended PLU’s long-standing position of cutting Parliament expenditure and redirecting resources toward ordinary citizens struggling to survive across the country.
“PLU believes in the reduction of any monies sent to Parliament. We believe in redirecting that money to the millions of Ugandans living in shacks, with no water or power,” he stated.
The CDF’s remarks come months after the viral #UgandaParliamentExhibition campaign, which sparked debate over alleged corruption, inflated allowances, questionable procurement deals and excessive expenditure within Parliament.
The online campaign placed Parliament leadership, particularly Speaker Among, under intense public scrutiny as activists demanded greater accountability in the use of taxpayers’ money.
The Rolls-Royce issue has now further fueled criticism from both opposition figures and some leaders within government, with many questioning the timing of such luxury purchases amid economic hardship facing ordinary citizens.
Democratic Party president general Norbert Mao is among leaders who have publicly criticized the growing display of wealth by public officials, warning that such actions risk damaging the image of government and deepening public frustration.
Muhoozi also used his statements to signal PLU’s position in the expected contest for the Speaker of Parliament position in the next Parliament.
“In the battle for Speaker of Parliament, ALL PLU MPs and PLU leaning MPs will vote for whoever the President and Commander-in-Chief endorses. We shall support Mzee’s position,” he said.
He further declared that decisions made by the NRM Central Executive Committee that contradict President Museveni’s wishes “are null and void,” remarks likely to trigger further debate within the ruling party over internal power struggles and succession politics.
Muhoozi’s comments reflect growing divisions within sections of the NRM and could significantly influence the race for the country’s third most powerful office.
