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Tayebwa: Govt gave me Shs500m generator after security breach
Left to Right: UCC Director for Industry Affairs and Content Development Julianne Mweheire, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, Group Vivendi Africa Country Director Julius Kayoboke and Managing Director Jean-François Duboy at the launch of the Internet service in Kampala on Wednesday. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- This follows a public outcry after it emerged that Parliament had purchased the generators for the Speaker and her deputy.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa says a security breach at his home forced the government to purchase a shs500m generator.
Mr Tayebwa made the remarks on Wednesday during the launch of CanalBox, an Internet service provider, in Kampala.
“Yes, I have a generator at my home from the government. That’s true. How did it come about? You know, we sit on many things, but sometime back I had a security incident at my home and there was a compromise of my security and we were attacked,” he said.
According to Mr Tayebwa, the incident, which occurred when he was already deputy speaker, necessitated a security upgrade, equipment that could not run on solar power, the alternative he had.
“Security people said when electricity is off, this solar of yours won’t run our equipment. I said, ‘take away the things, go…’ But then, they say, ‘no, your security is not about you as an individual, it’s about the country,’” he explained.
He acknowledged the need for openness and accountability in such incidents and encouraged the government and leaders to use Internet platforms to engage the citizenry.
“I am happy it [Internet] is going to really bring in more as a medium of communication. And we must take advantage of it as leaders. It will hold us more accountable as leaders. And it will give us a platform to explain some of the issues that do affect us. Because the Internet can bring down governments, but it can also heal governments,” he said.
Mr Tayebwa also dismissed claims of taxpayers funding his wardrobe, saying that would be unfair since he is paid a salary.
While he underscored the importance of social media in demanding accountability, he urged caution and truth.
Mr Tayebwa’s remarks follow public outcry after online activists released documents indicating Parliament had purchased the generators for him and Speaker Anita Among.
Parliament storm
He has remained largely silent on the storm that has engulfed the 11th Parliament since the start of the year, with accusations of corruption, mismanagement, abuse of office, nepotism among others levelled against the House and its leadership.
According to Mr Tayebwa, social media in Uganda has become very toxic, and forced him out of active business. “Unfortunately for some of us now, our entrepreneurial spirit has gone down because whatever you do, they say government, government… I have now put entrepreneurship aside, I’m focusing more on serving the country,” he said.
“…these things, which are putting the government in a bad light, are impacting badly on some of us... if I cannot go out with my brother Bob, and we have a glass of champagne, they will say I was drinking government money, yet we used to do it before joining the government,…I can’t get a choice of the watch, which I bought in 2012…,” Mr Tayebwa said.
Leverage the Internet.
The entry of Canal Box Internet is envisioned to improve access with more than 5,000 homes connected to the fibre network in 10 months.
Mr Tayebwa reiterated the government’s commitment to improving Internet access and affordability under digitalisation and extension of the national fiber network.
Easy access to affordable Internet will go a long way in easing doing business, and access to education as well as job creation, executives said.
