Deputy Speaker Tayebwa Maps Hands-On Oversight Blueprint at Kyankwanzi – A Wake-Up Call for Parliamentarians

KAMPALA – At the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi this week, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa delivered a no-nonsense address to hundreds of newly elected NRM MPs, outlining a roadmap for transforming parliamentary power into tangible results for ordinary Ugandans. The week-long retreat, opened by President Yoweri Museveni, is traditionally a platform for ideological sharpening, yet Tayebwa’s presentation cut straight to practical governance, accountability, and citizen-centred oversight.

“What makes a Member of Parliament effective? How do we turn laws and budgets into real impact for our people?” Tayebwa asked, before providing an unambiguous answer: effectiveness hinges on three pillars—oversight of government programmes, representation of constituents, and ensuring proper appropriation and utilisation of resources.

Tayebwa didn’t speak in abstractions. He urged MPs to leave Kampala offices and “be on the ground and work with communities to unearth what is not right.” He cited a concrete example from his Mitooma District constituency: Parish Development Model (PDM) forms intended to cost 10,000 UGX were being sold at 30,000 UGX by middlemen. Tayebwa personally intervened, organising open community forums that corrected the price and restored “public confidence,” illustrating his vision of active, hands-on parliamentary oversight.

Inside Parliament, Tayebwa was equally direct: MPs must “master our rules of procedure,” he said. Every motion, debate, and point of order only matters when applied strategically. “Most parliamentary work happens in committees,” he reminded them. Committees, he stressed, are where members can monitor roads, health centres, and public funds to ensure money is spent wisely. His closing charge: develop expertise, focus on results, and “never forget the people we serve.”

The timing of Tayebwa’s session—Thursday morning, amidst preparations for the 12th Parliament’s heavy lifting—is notable. The retreat gathers more than 350 new legislators for orientation and training, with leadership including Speaker Anita Among present. Tayebwa’s message provided a concrete blueprint at a moment when Uganda’s parliamentary oversight has long been criticised as weak and reactive.

Context underscores the stakes. The PDM, Tayebwa’s flagship example, is nationally fraught: police reported 389 corruption cases linked to the programme just days before his speech. The Auditor General has repeatedly flagged poor fund recovery and utilisation four years into rollout, despite fresh injections of hundreds of billions of shillings in FY 2025/26. Ghost beneficiaries, diverted funds, and weak accountability remain chronic issues.

Broader governance indicators amplify the challenge. Uganda scored 25 out of 100 on Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 148 out of 182 countries, reflecting a deterioration in oversight and anti-corruption effectiveness. Independent studies also show parliamentary committees frequently fail to act decisively, with rules and legal frameworks in place but weak implementation on critical public service issues.

Public reactions to Tayebwa’s posts captured the frustration citizens feel: “40 years down the road… no serious referral hospital,” “wasting public funds,” and “why can’t Parliament sit for a week and spend the rest in constituencies doing oversight?”

Tayebwa’s Kyankwanzi address is a rare blend of clarity and pragmatism. In a political system where rhetoric often outpaces delivery, he sketched a credible playbook: get on the ground, master parliamentary procedure, engage committees, and centre citizens in every decision. The key test is whether NRM MPs will follow this roadmap, or whether the Deputy Speaker’s blueprint remains a well-delivered sermon under the Kyankwanzi tents.

The Deputy Speaker has drawn the map. The real question is whether the ruling party will walk it.

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