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Business in Kamuli Town in Kamuli district came to a standstill on Tuesday when the supporters of Speaker Anita Among took to the streets.

The supporters were demonstrating over what they termed as 'insubordination' and 'sabotage' by First Deputy Premier and Minister of East African Affairs Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga.

Flashing manila placards pasted with inscriptions heaping praises on Speaker Among on bodabodas and others running on foot, the protesters set off from Bugabula Guest House.

Some of the words on the placards were: 'Maama Annita, you’re welcome to Kamuli', 'Among is Maama wa Busoga', 'Kadagaism is not a monarch', 'Maama Among don’t worry, we love you'.

Not afraid of the Police, the protesters cheered through Industrial Road, Jinja Road, Crowford Road, Kamuli Roundabout, Saza Road and back to Bugabula Guest House.

Supporters of Speaker Anita Among on the streets of Kamuli protesting. (Photo by Tom Gwebayanga)

Their utterances were all about dissatisfaction with the way Kadaga, also Kamuli district Woman MP, is allegedly orchestrating intrigue with the Speaker, the conduct they claimed is denying Abasoga many privileges and opportunities.

The protesters were led by Kamuli Town and Nabwigulu sub-county NRM chairperson Charles Magaya, district youth chairperson Julius Mulamba and Kamuli District Bodaboda Association mobiliser Muhamad Kozaala.

“We know Kadaga was Speaker [of Paliament] but she’s no more, Among is at the helm and she’s the one we need to bank on,” Magaya said.

Asia Namulondo, said having married a Musoga (Budiope East MP Moses Magogo), Among should not be chased but be welcomed by both hands not only as a family member but also as a daughter-in-law.

Kamuli district has been out of bounds to the Speaker, recalling thrice when she cancelled her visits on grounds that she was encroaching on Kadaga’s territory.

Fight for 'Maama wa Busoga' title

According to analysts, the Kadaga-Among standoff started in 2022, when Among toured Busoga region to mobilise the upgrade of health facilities.

By the close of the campaigns that ended in Budiope East and owing to the way she “coughed” over shillings 200 million to construct maternity wards, theatres, and out-patient departments, some people named her 'Maama wa Busoga', a title popularly known as Kadaga’s.

The statements forced Kadaga’s supporters in Kamuli to stage a demonstration in the streets of Kamuli town, vowing to block Among’s motorcade from accessing her husband’s home in Budiope.

Recently, Among was forced to cancel the women’s fundraising drive at Nalango Primary School in Namwendwa sub-county in Kamuli over unclear reasons, a trend people say is keeping Busoga development at bay.

What triggered the demo

Last week, while attending a funeral in Bugweri district, National Unity Platform deputy spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro rebuked Among, saying she has turned Busoga into a disgrace, having demeaned Kadaga.

He asked her to stop making verbal attacks against her predecessor, Rebecca Kadaga, since Basoga people pride in her (Kadaga) for being their mother.

Mufumbiro's rebuke is what prompted Among’s supporters in Kamuli to stage the demonstration.

Kadaga has since the stalemate never responded to Among.