The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party in Najjanankumbi has warned the Parliament of Uganda against playing with the United Kingdom’s (UK) sanctions slapped on Speaker Annet Anita Among over corruption allegations concerning the Karamoja iron sheets scandal.

According to John Kikonyogo, the FDC Spokesperson, the party is disappointed by the way parliament is handling the issue of sanctions because it’s a serious one that requires much attention since it implicates one of the top leaders of Uganda, the Speaker.

“What is disturbing us as the party is the way our brothers and sisters in parliament were handling this issue. These sanctions are a very serious issue as far as this country is concerned. Many people take this issue lightly, but it is not as light as we think,” Kikonyogo said.

“The whites you are dealing with are not as easy as you may think, and the way the MPs were handling it in parliament made some of us worried. The issue of sanctions is a high diplomatic issue, but people were treating it as normal politics in Uganda. By the time they wake up, all those implicated in the scandal will be on the white man’s hook,” he added.

Kikonyogo made the remarks during a press conference held at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Monday, May 6, 2024.

He said that the sanctions do not only affect the Speaker but also damage the reputation of Ugandans globally, stating that the Speaker represents Ugandans.

Kikonyogo added that the UK is likely to deepen the sanctions to freeze the Speaker’s bank accounts in Uganda.

Britain sanctioned the Speaker Among and two high-profile Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, targeting corruption in the country for the first time.

However, according to John Mulimba, the Foreign Affairs Minister in charge of Regional Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs looks forward to engaging the officials at the British High Commission and the government of the UK on the matter.