Former Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, has called for investigations into Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige over allegations of financial impropriety at Parliament, insisting that all public officials implicated in corruption claims should be subjected to due process.
In a statement via X (formerly Twitter) Baryamureeba argued that wealth accumulated before assuming higher public office should not shield leaders from scrutiny over how public resources are managed once they take office.
“On this I will disagree with you. Even those that join politics with money do steal public funds,” Baryamureeba said.
The former vice chancellor also referenced former Speaker Anita Annet Among, claiming she had amassed considerable wealth before becoming Speaker but was later implicated in investigations into the alleged misuse of parliamentary funds.
“Did you know that Hon. Anita Annet Among made a lot of money when she was MP and Chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE). She even had deals with President Salva Kiir. This I know for a fact. So she was rich too when she became Speaker,” he said.
Baryamureeba further asserted that ongoing investigations into Among should not stop with the former Speaker but should extend to other senior parliamentary officials who have been mentioned in corruption allegations.
“But now she is being investigated for what she stole as Speaker of Parliament and there is overwhelming evidence that the Deputy Speaker was part of the racket that embezzled public funds. So let them all be investigated and if he is clean he should be cleared. The same applies to the Clerk of Parliament; he should be investigated too. One remains innocent until proven guilty,” he stated.
His remarks come against the backdrop of heightened public scrutiny over Parliament’s financial management following multiple allegations of corruption, misuse of public funds and extravagant expenditure by senior parliamentary officials.
Authorities have in recent months investigated several claims relating to expenditure by Parliament, including controversial spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, procurement, and other administrative expenses. Several of the allegations have attracted investigations by anti-corruption agencies, while some remain the subject of public debate.
Baryamureeba also questioned why the last tranche of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for the final quarter of the 2025/26 financial year had reportedly been returned to the Consolidated Fund without being utilised by the offices of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
“Why is it that the last batch of CSR for the last quarter of 2025/26 funds have been returned to the Consolidated Fund untouched for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker? It’s because the previous disbursements were fraudulently spent and they feared to touch this one. Just like the VIP tickets for the World Cup,” he claimed.
The academic, however, did not provide documentary evidence to substantiate the allegations regarding the CSR funds or the World Cup VIP tickets.
Under Ugandan law, allegations of corruption or embezzlement must be investigated by the relevant authorities, and any person accused of wrongdoing remains innocent unless proven guilty by a competent court of law.
