Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has confirmed that there was a security breach at his home in 2022, which later saw the government buy him a generator whose cost has since attracted public outcry.
The Kampala Report in December 2022 reported that some unknown person’s broke into the tightly guarded of the Deputy Speaker and made off with some property. However, no one was hurt in the attack.
And on Wednesday this week, Tayebwa confirmed that after the security breach, the government decided to install a new generator there which would help power the high-tech security installations at his home.
“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.
“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,” Tayebwa explained.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during the launch of CanalBox, an Internet service provider, in Kampala.
He acknowledged the need for openness and accountability in such incidents, and encouraged government and leaders to use internet platforms to engage the citizenry.
“I’m happy it’s 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 internet can bring down governments, but it can also heal governments,” he said
About two months ago, online activists released documents indicating parliament had purchased the generators worth Shs500m each for Speaker Anita Among, and her deputy.