For the past few days, the petrol blue of Anita Annet Among's Rolls-Royce has flooded Ugandan social media. Placed, in full view of everyone, on the back of a police truck, it is intended as a symbol of the "corruption" of the all-powerful, now-disgraced Speaker of Parliament.

Having arrived at the speakership in March 2022, following the death of the previous occupant, the 52-year-old MP, who was said to be untouchable as a member of the inner circle of President Yoweri Museveni, a former guerrilla in power for 40 years, saw the police and the army arrive on Saturday at her luxurious villa in Kampala.

Operation "Maliza Ufisadi" ("Let's stop corruption" in Swahili, editor's note) was "authorized" by the head of state to "arrest anyone in Uganda except the president and the first lady," justified Yoweri Museveni's son and army chief of staff, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who claims to have been its father, on Tuesday on X.

"Anyone else can be arrested," he warned.

In reality, "Maliza Ufisadi" has so far only targeted Anita Annet Among. She has not been arrested, but security forces have searched several houses she owns in Kampala and her office in Parliament.

Several luxury SUVs were seized, according to Ugandan media, but also the gleaming Rolls-Royce, whose value - several hundred thousand euros - is hard to swallow in this poor country where, according to the UN, half the population lives on less than three dollars a day.

- "Thief" -

"We have always said that Among is corrupt and a thief!" denounces Joel Ssen, an official with the National Unity Platform (NUP), who welcomes the investigation targeting the Speaker of Parliament. "But many other thieves are still operating and must be held accountable."

The NUP is the main Ugandan opposition party. Its leader, former singer Bobi Wine – whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi – who denounced a "rigged" presidential election in January, fled Uganda after receiving death threats from Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Anita Annet Among had previously overcome several scandals. In 2023, she was implicated in a large-scale embezzlement of corrugated iron intended for poor communities.

Ms. Among eventually returned them to "protect the image of Parliament" and faced no repercussions, unlike other high-ranking officials who were convicted and imprisoned. However, in 2024 she was sanctioned by the United Kingdom (travel ban, asset freeze) and the United States (entry ban).

Agora, a Ugandan citizen NGO, recently highlighted the explosion in its services' budget, which increased from approximately 900,000 to 4.3 million euros annually between 2022 and 2026, daily allowances reaching 3,900 euros allocated to the president during official trips, as well as projects funded by its services but never carried out.

"Her corruption became so significant that it threatened the Museveni dynasty," Agather Athuaire, founder of Agora, told AFP, adding that Anita Annet Among had set up a system allowing her to finance her own allegiances.

- "Cut off the wings" -

"They thought that if she was re-elected president of Parliament, she would become too powerful" and after tolerating such a level of prevarication for years, the government wanted to "clip her wings," says Ms. Athuaire.

The searches took place while she was repeatedly stating her desire to return to the presidency.

"After extensive consultations and deep introspection, and in order to preserve harmony and clarity within my dear party, the NRM (the presidential party, editor's note), I wish to declare categorically and unequivocally that I will not be running for the presidency of parliament," the person in question finally announced on Sunday on X, a few hours after the search of her main residence.

AFP was unable to contact Ms. Among.

Many observers, however, regret that it is the army that is in charge, and not civilian institutions, such as the police or the anti-corruption agency.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who aspires to succeed his father, "is no longer acting solely as a military commander. He has become a major political force," observes Timothy Chemonges, executive director of the Centre for Policy Analysis, a Ugandan think tank.

"It seems that anyone within the NRM who wants a future in politics must align themselves with Muhoozi," notes Gerald Walulya, a professor of communication at Makerere University in Kampala.

Museveni's son "has become the kingmaker," he says. Thanks to the Among affair, he presents himself as "a leader close to the people and competent."