Former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura has launched a sharp attack on Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth-Oboth, accusing him of focusing on “witchcraft fears” while Ugandans grapple with serious security concerns, including alleged abductions and torture.
In a statement, Nyanjura questioned the Speaker’s priorities, highlighting the growing anxiety among citizens over reported enforced disappearances and illegal detention sites.
She argued that such issues demand urgent attention from national leadership, particularly Parliament.
“While Ugandans have sleepless nights over abductions and torture basements, the Speaker… is losing sleep over witchcraft in his office,” she said.
Her remarks follow Oboth-Oboth’s recent call for prayers, where he warned against Parliament becoming “a place where witchcraft is exalted.”
The Speaker framed his comments as a moral and spiritual appeal, urging leaders to uphold integrity and resist harmful influences.
However, Nyanjura dismissed the concerns as misplaced, pointing out that the Speaker holds a constitutional mandate to oversee government operations, including the conduct of security agencies.
She argued that raising spiritual fears in such a context risks diverting attention from pressing governance challenges.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Speaker has requested for our prayers; his life is in danger, he only attracts nightmares when he sleeps,” she added, in remarks widely interpreted as both critical and satirical.
Nyanjura further claimed that religious leaders had reportedly visited the Speaker’s office to conduct prayers aimed at expelling alleged spiritual forces.
“It looks like the spirits are refusing to vacate,” she said.
The exchange has intensified public debate over leadership priorities in Uganda, especially at a time when human rights concerns remain under scrutiny.
Opposition figures and civil society groups have repeatedly raised alarm over alleged abductions and unlawful detentions, calling for greater accountability.