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By Mulengera Reporters
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Tuesday inadvertently found himself repeating Norbert Mao’s talking points when he made it clear that it was unacceptable for a Speaker of Parliament to be looked at as an ATM, capable of dishing out money endlessly in order to solve MPs’ endless financial problems.
Speaking to new MPs at the beginning of their three days’ induction, Tayebwa said it was too much under the 11th Parliament that he personally required a minimum of Shs20m each day he came to chair plenary as MPs would sneak into his office seeking financial assistance. He said that during moments when he didn’t have that money, he would hide and avoid private interactions with MPs.
He advised the new MPs to lower their expectations because such begging isn’t going to be tolerated under the Oboth Oboth-led legislature. He implied this is how his former boss Anita Among got into problems as she considered it her duty to solve each and every MP’s financial problems without fail. Tayebwa said he was prepared to tell MPs the bitter truth and stand by his words even if that means this being his last term as Speaker.
He said every MP should prepare to use their personal money because even the speaker is a salary-earner like any of them. He said ‘we are all broke and the same,’ making it clear there is no way the Speaker can have money to solve every MPs’ problems. He clarified that this doesn’t mean MPs won’t be encouraged to stand and be there for each other say in case of bereavement or things like that.
He said no MP will be required to take rumors, spy on friends and use such information to become a special friend to the Speaker. He added that there will be no need for intrigue or lobbying the Speaker because Committee chairpersons are going to be empowered to control their own perdiems and travel budgets.
Tayebwa said they had already agreed with Clerk Adolf Mwesige and the new Speaker Oboth Oboth that the decisions of MPs’ Perdiem and who goes for which trip will be decentralized to Committee chairpersons. The Speaker’s chambers will only be notified by that Chairperson and any MP who feels alienated will be asked to hold his or her Committee chairperson to account and not the Speaker.
Tayebwa also made it clear there will be total transparency to the extent that every MP will have equal chance to speak in plenary as opposed to favoring the so-called senior legislators while suffocating inexperienced MPs. Tayebwa made it clear that MPs will be allocated equal time during plenary so that every part of Uganda feels adequately represented.
The speech was being streamed live on social media platforms and Ugandans demanded to know why Tayebwa knew what AAA was doing wrong and never pointed it out. The truth is he tried his best to lead with decorum, be exemplary and any attempt at correcting his boss would only have made him misunderstood for trying to outshine the boss.
Tayebwa also castigated MPs who say he is mean with money because, in his own words, that can’t be said of a Deputy Speaker who contributes as much as Shs10m at any MP’s function whenever called upon. The Ruhinda North MP said that can’t amount to being mean or stingy.
Tayebwa also referred to some MPs who will be expected to be knowledgeable on certain things such as Lydia Wanyoto and Gen Tumukunde on security matters, Dickson Kateshumbwa on taxation matters and Mwenge’s Mary Kutesa on public infrastructure matters since she used to be a big person at UNRA where she served as Director Legal Affairs.
Tayebwa also called for financial discipline and revealed that the new leadership had decided that MPs will get their Perdiem in advance before traveling for work abroad so that they don’t have to borrow from the Indian money lender on Dewinton or Parliamentary Avenue. Under AAA, MPs travelled on borrowed Perdiem and claimed refund upon return. Tayebwa said this is stopping under Oboth, sparking excitement among the MPs.
He also called on MPs to manage their spousal relationships well and those with over possessive husbands were cautioned to tell them to behave themselves as opposed to spending the whole day spying from the female MPs’ vehicles while pretending to be drivers whereas not.
He told a story in the 11th Parliament when a husband to a female legislator would daily hide in the parking to spy on his wife, and burnt with a rage each time male MPs and randy journalists hugged her. The Deputy Speaker had to get involved to get the husband to go away from the parking yard. He would be there every day instead of going to work.
Tayebwa also asked MPs to feel free to disclose their private health information to the top leadership at Parliament so that they get help such as clearance from the Medical Board.
Tayebwa recalled a female MP who got a false cancer diagnosis and spent the whole day crying in his office. He elaborated how this female MP’s openness turned out to be helpful in the long run and called on the new legislators to emulate her.
The leadership of Parliament helped evacuate her to Nairobi Hospital where it was discovered she was cancer -free, contrary to earlier diagnosis which indicated she had breast cancer.
He implored the Medical Board members to support Parliament more by expediting the MPs’ travel clearances the way they do with Ministers. He said he and Oboth will engage the board to ensure that the MPs are equally supported.
MPs with illegitimate children should be open and declare them as opposed to denying because they will be ashamed the day their neglected child’s mothers petition the Speaker’s office, Tayebwa asserted.
Tayebwa said these are common occurrences and that any MP will be called upon to explain themselves the day such reports are brought to the Speaker’s attention. He admitted that many MPs always have marital problems at home because they are human.
He also spoke about lifestyle issues such as MPs who eat too much. He said in this era of AI and social media, a journalist will photograph an MP choking on samosas during a Committee session and the photo or video will go viral. Tayebwa suggested that MPs get served only water in the Committees and then go to the canteen when they need a bite or cup of tea.
The Deputy Speaker said many MPs represent starving voters who feel bad and betrayed upon seeing their representative buried in a mountain of food instead of airing out their concerns. He said he is aware of many Parliaments, even in countries wealthier than Uganda, where MPs are served only water during plenary sessions.
He also called on them to be respectful in their dealings with staff of Parliament. He said no MP will be tolerated borrowing money from Parliamentary staff and even encroaching on their perdiems when they go in the field. He said under the 11th Parliament, it was common for rogue-minded MPs to borrow from such staff as much as Shs5m and refuse to pay back.
Tayebwa said Parliamentary staff are very respectful and fear to demand that an MP pays back. He also spoke of MPs who save their Perdiem during trips and instead encroach of Parliament staff’s Perdiem for things such as cab transport while on official trips abroad. He said all this won’t be tolerated under the Oboth-led Parliament.
He also called on MPs to be used to scrutiny and criticism because with smart phones everywhere, even an illiterate in the village will make a video and call out an MP.
“We are going to be compared to our predecessors including the 6th Parliament, which operated at the time when we had no social media and AI like today. You should expect all that and don’t take offence when it happens.”
He also called on MPs to emulate him because when he was still a back bencher, he never went to the Speaker to beg for financial favors or bail out because he always thrived on his salary. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
