“She Has the Money”- Betty Nambooze Shields Anita Among Over Rolls Royce and Shs 42M Inauguration Dress

Opposition legislator Betty Nambooze has stepped up to defend Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, as criticism mounts over her purchase of a Rolls Royce and the expensive outfit she wore at President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony.

Nambooze, who represents Mukono Constituency, said she was not at all surprised by Among’s decision to buy the luxury vehicle, adding that the Speaker has every right to spend her money however she chooses.

The MP drew a pointed contrast between Among and other Ugandan officials she described as corrupt, noting that many of them hide how they spend their wealth while Among does it out in the open.

“When the Speaker buys a Rolls Royce, I am not surprised. What I like most about her is spending her money openly without hiding,” Nambooze said.

“She has the money, and there are many others who have money to buy a Rolls Royce. They should all go and buy them for us to see.”

“Besides, Shs 3.4 billion on Speaker Among is nothing. Her husband too has money. And some of the people making noise about it have more money than she does. The only difference is she spends hers openly.”

Among’s reputation took a knock last week after it came out that she had acquired a brand new Rolls-Royce Cullinan 2025, valued at around £440,000 before taxes and import costs. The Cullinan sits at the top end of the luxury SUV market and is typically associated with royalty, billionaires, entertainers, and sports stars.

The criticism grew louder when Among showed up at Museveni’s inauguration on May 12, 2026, dressed in a yellow Oscar de la Renta flower-embroidered gown priced at $6,490 (about UGX 24 million), paired with a matching embroidered jacket valued at $4,990 (roughly UGX 18.5 million). With taxes factored in, the full outfit came to an estimated UGX 42.5 million.

Later that same day, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), announced that his group was pulling its support for Among in the race for Speaker of Parliament, pointing to concerns about her extravagance. The PLU had previously backed Among and Thomas Tayebwa for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions respectively. Muhoozi’s statement directed PLU members-elect to instead support whoever President Museveni puts forward, a notable change in the party’s position.