The newly elected Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, announced the death of his grandmother who had been ill for a long time.
KAMPALA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Thomas Tayebwa, the newly elected Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament, made the announcement that his grandmother had died after fighting illness for a long time.
“Two weeks ago i visited my grandmum Katima Tiruhongyerwa Omurara Munte wa Kagunga who gave me blessings and told me she had a few days to live,” Tayebwa tweeted in respect.
“Upon news of my elevation to Deputy Speaker, she passed on peacefully at 99 years. Go rest and rejoice with the angels in heaven Kaka,” he added.
Tayebwa made this announcement two days after his historic victory as the new Deputy Speaker of the August House. In a voting exercise presided over by Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, Tayebwa earned 379 votes, beating Moses Okot p’Bitek by 82 votes.
Speaking shortly after his victory, Tayebwa who resigned from the position of Government Chief Whip to take on the bigger position extended his gratitude to President Museveni for accepting him to serve the county in another capacity.
While he rose, he pledged his full support to Speaker Anita Among, pledging to work together to oversee a Parliament that strives to fulfill its objectives.
Moving on, however, Tayebwa was quick to disclose 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.”
“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 also forgive him.
“I made some statements personally that annoyed our brothers and sisters in Uganda. I apologize to anyone who was hurt.”
Last 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 to him.
“Oulanyah was not just a northerner, he was a nationalist and I think he would curse anyone who says, 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.
