Anita Annet Among is best known as a politician whose resilience carried her from Bukedea to the pinnacle of national leadership. Born into a large family and defying early marriage, she pursued different ventures before entering politics. Her rise culminated in her becoming Speaker of the 11th Parliament, where she wielded immense influence and passed landmark legislation. Her tenure has ended abruptly in 2026, as corruption allegations and party pressure forced her to step aside during a dramatic flip in her career.
Today we dive deep into the life and legacy of Anita Annet. Among exploring not only who the former Speaker is, but also the milestones, controversies, and achievements that defined her journey at the heart of Uganda’s Parliament.

Anita Annet Among, born on November 23, 1973, in Bukedea District, is a distinguished Ugandan accountant, lawyer, and politician who served as Speaker of the 11th Parliament from 2022 to 2026. Raised in a large family of 48 children, her early life was marked by resilience—most notably, resisting an attempted early marriage at age 14 in order to pursue her education. She holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor of laws and is also a chartered certified accountant. Before entering politics, she built a career in banking between 1998 and 2006, laying the foundation for her subsequent rise in public service.

Anita Among's political journey began in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the primary opposition party at the time, where she first contested for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat in 2007 when the district was created and again in 2011; however, In both instances, she lost to the NRM's Rose Akol.
Despite these losses, she remained active within the FDC, eventually serving as the party's deputy treasurer general. In 2016, she failed to secure the FDC ticket for the 2016 elections, at which point she broke away and ran as an independent candidate. She defeated Rose Akol in 2016 to finally enter the 10th Parliament.

Although an independent, she was appointed by the FDC as the vice chairperson of the powerful Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE). Her tenure was marked by high-profile investigations, including an inquiry into the Bank of Uganda.

During this time, she began cultivating a close relationship with President Yoweri Museveni, often acting as a bridge between the presidency and the opposition. This led to friction with the FDC, who eventually attempted to remove her from her committee post for "double loyalty."

In 2020, Among officially joined the National Resistance Movement (NRM), citing the party's focus on service delivery. During the 2021 general elections, she was returned to Parliament unopposed after her competitors' nominations were contentious or blocked. With full NRM backing, she was elected Deputy Speaker on May 24, 2021, overwhelmingly defeating Yusuf Nsibambi and Muhammad Nsereko (Independent) with 415 votes.

However, with the sudden death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah in March 2022, Among was elected Speaker of the 11th Parliament, winning 401 votes against Asuman Basalirwa's 66. As speaker, she consolidated her power by acting as a "kingmaker" in the Teso sub-region and famously defeating Rebecca Kadaga for the NRM 2nd National Vice Chairperson seat in 2025.

Her tenure was noted for a high volume of laws passed, including significant bills such as the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023; National Coffee (Amendment) Act, 2024; Petroleum Supply Amendment Act, 2023; National Coffee (Amendment) Act, 2024; the controversial UPDF (Amendment) Act, 2025; and the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, which wrapped up the 11th parliament.

Despite being re-elected unopposed as an MP for the 2026–2031 term, Among's bid for a second term as Speaker collapsed abruptly with accusations on corruption throughout her term, and following a reported high-level meeting at State House, she officially withdrew from the Speakership race to maintain "party harmony," marking a significant turning point in her political career, ending her four-year reign as the head of the legislature.