Two years ago, Anita Annet Among and Thomas Tayebwa assumed the roles of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Uganda's Parliament, respectively. Since then, their fortunes have diverged dramatically. While Speaker Among is embroiled in multiple corruption allegations, Mr. Tayebwa has maintained a relatively clean slate, positioning himself favorably within the political landscape.
Among’s tenure has been marred by numerous corruption scandals. One of the most notable incidents involved allegations that in 2022, Parliament awarded Shs40 million to each lawmaker for passing a Shs618 billion supplementary budget. Bukoto South MP Dr. Twaha Kagabo, who later fell out with his National Unity Platform (NUP) party, claimed that Speaker Among personally handed him the money. Among vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that she had no knowledge of who Dr. Kagabo was.
Despite her denials, reports surfaced that opposition lawmakers received the funds at the residences of Among and Tayebwa, while ruling NRM party members allegedly collected the money within the parliamentary precincts.
The Uganda Parliament Exhibition, an online campaign led by Makerere University lecturer Jimmy Spire Ssentongo and journalist-lawyer Agather Atuhaire, further exposed corruption within the House. The campaign revealed that Speaker Among increased her per diem from $900 to $4,000, pocketed allowances for trips she never took, and withdrew substantial amounts of money for so-called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, many of which were in her home district of Bukedea. In contrast, Tayebwa remained unscathed, prompting online users to question why he was not similarly scrutinized.
Amid these allegations, Tayebwa has strategically positioned himself for the speakership by maintaining a clean image. He has balanced his alliances within Parliament and avoided getting entangled in Among’s controversies. This has led some to speculate that he is the “Speaker-in-waiting.”
President Yoweri Museveni has also weighed in, directing anti-corruption agencies to investigate Among and others implicated in the scandals. Museveni’s involvement underscores the seriousness of the allegations and the political pressure Among faces. Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has taken the matter to the Anti-Corruption Court, accusing Among and other officials of fraudulently concealing illegal payments.
Despite these challenges, Among and Tayebwa have publicly presented a united front, a stark contrast to their predecessors, Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah, who often clashed. Their cooperation has facilitated the passage of several bills, including the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill, and the Uganda Human Organ Donation and Transplant Bill.
Tayebwa’s political ambitions are not new. He first contested for the deputy speakership in 2021 but was appointed Chief Whip instead. Following Oulanyah’s death, Tayebwa criticized northern legislators for attempting to ring-fence the speakership for their region, comments he later apologized for after securing the deputy speakership.
While Tayebwa has avoided major scandals, he is not entirely without blemish. In 2020, he was accused of assaulting Bonny Bukenya, a contract staff of Umeme, an incident that went viral. Tayebwa later apologized, and the case was withdrawn.
Critics argue that Tayebwa’s clean image is not entirely accurate. Agather Atuhaire pointed out that Tayebwa’s per diem was also increased, and he benefited from significant allowances and travel perks. Nonetheless, Tayebwa’s ability to navigate these controversies without major repercussions has bolstered his political standing.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, Tayebwa’s strategic positioning and clean image amidst ongoing corruption allegations against Speaker Among suggest he may be poised to ascend to the speakership, should circumstances align in his favor.
