Bukedea County MP David Beecham Okwere has said that former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among is not so critically ill as stated being reported in sections of the media.
The legislator, however, confirmed that when he met the former Speaker, she had signs of swollen feet.
He could not comment on whether they were symptoms of blood clotting, as alleged in a widely circulated statement by former MP, Muhammed Nsereko.
Okwere, who says he last met Among at her Nakasero residence last Tuesday, told URN that while the former Speaker can move around within her compound, concerns remain about her health and her ability to access comprehensive medical care.
“She’s in her residence. She moves normally within her compound, although limited to her compound,” Okwere said.
The legislator, however, stopped short of describing her situation as house arrest, arguing that the government has not officially explained the circumstances surrounding the security deployment at her residence.
“Not until we see that government has given an official statement can we know whether she’s under house arrest or something of that nature,” he said.
According to Okwere, Among’s health challenges began during the election campaign period when she traversed the country mobilizing support for President Yoweri Museveni and National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidates.
“That is when she began developing the issue of the legs getting swollen. It was a very tedious exercise. She was moving around the whole country campaigning,” he said.
The MP suggested that Among may have postponed seeking comprehensive treatment because of the demands of the election campaigns.
“She probably thought she would seek proper medical treatment after the elections, but then she had to continue preparing for the Speakership race,” he said.
Okwere further argued that stress associated with her current circumstances may have aggravated the condition.
“She has pressure. There is stress and overthinking. Those things can add to a person’s health challenges,” he said.
While acknowledging that her legs remain swollen, Okwere said he could not conclusively describe her condition as a severe illness.
“For us ordinary people, it may not be easy to term it as a sickness. But when somebody is under restrictions and unable to live normally, that itself can affect their wellbeing,” he said.
The legislator also disputed claims that Among is completely cut off from visitors, revealing that he attended a prayer session with her last week alongside a Catholic priest from Bukedea and some other leaders.
“There was a Catholic father who came for prayers. We prayed together and even shared a meal,” he said.
However, Okwere said he could not confirm whether Among’s personal doctors have been allowed access to her residence.
His comments come days after former Kampala Central MP Mohammed Nsereko publicly claimed that Among was suffering from swollen legs caused by a blood clot and required urgent medical attention.
Nsereko said he had recently seen the former Speaker and appealed to the government to allow her access to specialized treatment.
The claims were partly corroborated by Alice Alaso, the Acting National Coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) and former Serere District Woman MP.
“Even before her forced house arrest, Among has been having some health issues,” Alaso told this publication.
