The induction session for Parliament committee chairpersons and their deputies concluded with Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa issuing hollow instructions aimed at shielding the House from the very corruption that has pervaded every corner of Uganda’s 11th Parliament. In an orchestrated display of false integrity, Mr. Tayebwa urged committee leaders to disseminate his message to their members, claiming it would mobilize efforts to cleanse the legislative arm of its notorious corruption. The blatant hypocrisy of his speech delivered in Parliament’s conference hall cannot be overstated.
In his deluded address, Tayebwa blathered about addressing the issue of integrity, an issue he absurdly claims has been blown out of proportion despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. His assertion that Parliament will now demand government action on recommendations made by House inquiry reports is laughable. For years, Parliament has produced countless reports exposing corruption, yet nothing has been done. This sudden demand for accountability rings hollow and reeks of a desperate attempt to salvage a tarnished reputation.
“We must come up and address the issue of integrity, which I know has mostly been blown out of proportion because I know the good work that you have been doing,” Tayebwa proclaimed, revealing his delusional perspective on the rampant corruption within Parliament. He insisted that going forward, Parliament will strictly demand that the government provides action reports on all recommendations made by House inquiries. However, this grandstanding is nothing more than a feeble attempt to shift the blame away from the legislators themselves.
The Deputy Speaker’s speech comes on the heels of President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address, where he revealed evidence of MPs and Ministry of Finance technical staff colluding to alter budget allocations in exchange for kickbacks. Despite this damning evidence, Tayebwa’s call for integrity and accountability is mere window dressing, a façade to distract from the deep-seated corruption that he and his colleagues are complicit in.
On June 11, the police detained three legislators—Yusuf Mutembuli (Bunyole East), Paul Akamba (Busiki County), and Cissy Namujju (Lwengo District)—for allegedly soliciting bribes from the Uganda Human Rights Commission to inflate its 2024/2025 budget allocations. This scandal underscores the pervasive rot within Parliament, yet Tayebwa’s response was to instruct committee leaders to stay true to their oaths and report bribery attempts. His feigned ignorance of the systemic corruption that pervades the legislative body is nothing short of insulting.
“People will extort money on your behalf as chairpersons. If you hear it, don’t die with it. Kindly share with us or even report to police,” Tayebwa advised, immediately dismissing corruption allegations against him by Aringa South legislator Alion Odria. His nonchalant dismissal of these allegations further exposes his contempt for genuine accountability. Tayebwa’s attempt to brush off these serious accusations as products of a “fertile imagination” is an affront to the intelligence of Ugandans who have grown weary of such blatant disregard for the truth.
His cautionary strategies come at a time when the public’s disdain for Parliament’s corruption has reached a boiling point. On Tuesday and again yesterday, a significant number of youths conducted anti-graft marches to Parliament, resulting in the arrest of over 90 individuals, some of whom were remanded at Luzira Prisons. The government’s heavy-handed response to these peaceful protests further highlights the disconnect between Parliament’s hollow promises and the harsh reality faced by Ugandans demanding accountability.
The fact that Tayebwa’s speech coincides with these anti-corruption protests is no coincidence. It is a calculated move to placate a frustrated public without enacting any real change. His hollow rhetoric is designed to create the illusion of reform while maintaining the status quo. Tayebwa’s insistence that the integrity issue has been exaggerated is a blatant lie intended to deflect from the egregious corruption that has tainted every aspect of Parliament’s operations.
Ugandans are not fooled by Tayebwa’s empty words. They are acutely aware that the corruption within Parliament is not an exaggeration but a grim reality that has devastating consequences for the nation. The brazen collusion between MPs and government officials to manipulate budget allocations for personal gain is a testament to the moral bankruptcy that plagues Uganda’s political landscape.
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