UK sanctions Uganda parliament Speaker over graft allegations

LONDON, England 

The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on the Speaker of Uganda's parliament, as well as two MPs, for alleged corruption.

A statement said they had stolen from the poorest communities in the country and would be subject to travel bans and asset freezes.

The British Foreign Office said the two former ministers, Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, had stolen thousands of metal roofing sheets which were meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja region.

It said the Speaker, Anita Among, was also involved. She has also been accused of corruption involving parliamentary funds.

Ms Among has described the allegations as rumours that were triggered by her support for Uganda's tough anti-LGBT legislation.

In response,  the parliament of Uganda on Tuesday dismissed the sanctions targeting speaker over alleged corruption saying the UK government should avoid trying to arm-twist Ugandan decision makers to align with their value system, especially on homosexuality.

The Uganda's director of communications and public affairs Chris Obore says the iron sheets have been used as a ruse to conceal the real, unstated but clearly obvious reason for the sanctions – which is the Speaker’s stance on the recently enacted Anti-Homosexuality Act.

“The truth is that the iron sheets were in fact distributed to public schools, and Mr Andrew Micthell – who was vocal in condemning Among for enacting the Anti-Homosexuality Act – did not, in his statement,  indicate how exactly the Speaker derived personal benefit from them”.Obore says in a statement.

Obore further appealed to foreign partners, including the United Kingdom, respect the sovereignty of Uganda, and avoid temptation to meddle into Uganda’s local politics.