Speaker Anita Among’s newly elected deputy Thomas Tayebwa has pledged his full support to her and promised that they will always work together to ensure the 11th Parliament achieves its goals.
KAMPALA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa, the newly elected Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament, has pledged his full support to Speaker Honorable Anita Among and promised that they will always work together to oversee a Parliament that strives to accomplish its goals.
In a voting exercise held at the Kololo Independence grounds and presided over by Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, Tayebwa scooped 379 votes while Opposition’s Moses Okot p’Bitek managed only 82 votes.
Speaking shortly after his memorable victory, Tayebwa who resigned from the position of Government Chief Whip to take on his current position extended his gratitude to President Museveni for accepting him to serve the county in another capacity.
Thomas Tayebwa however, was quick to alert the August House that he would not have loved to take up the position at such a time when the country is still mourning the death of former Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah but said the latter would still have challenged him to take up the position.
“I personally wouldn’t have loved to occupy this position in such circumstances, but Rt. Hon. Oulanyah that I know would challenge me to rise to the occasion. I would like to offer my condolences to the family.”
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“It is God’s plan that we are again together, Karibu sana. I promise that we will work as we, not I,” Tayebwa said calling on all those he has hurt in the past to forgive him.
“I made some statements personally that annoyed our brothers and sisters in Uganda. I apologize to anyone who was hurt.”
Earlier this week following scares of a boycott from a section of some legislators who were demanding that the late Oulanyah’s replacement should be someone from their region, Tayebwa was quick to raise criticism on this.
He said it was inappropriate to ring face the position to one region because the late was elected to the position on basis of merit and not because he was from the above region.
He also reminded northerners that during the election that brought the fallen Bow-tie man into the Speakership office, very few from the northern region rallied their support for him.
“Oulanyah was not just a northerner, he was a nationalist and I think he would curse anyone who said, ring-face this position for northern Uganda. His biggest support was from other regions. I have seen people who are shedding even crocodile tears, it is very unfortunate,” Tayebwa raised criticism.
“These are voices of doom, and they should be condemned. We are nationalists. We know they are mourning, but that is not how you should mourn. It means that when His Excellency goes, westerners will demand to ring-fence the position of President for westerners. I urge colleagues that if your argument is that someone should be voted because he is from northern Uganda, go to hell,” he added.
