Published on 11/04/2025
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa on Wednesday blocked any debate on reports that legislators had received UGX 100 million each, dismissing the claims as unfounded “street talk.”
Tayebwa, presiding over plenary, said he would not allow discussions on a matter that had neither been budgeted for nor approved by the Parliamentary Commission, which oversees Parliament’s finances.
“As a leadership of this House, we are only responsible for what is budgeted, appropriated, and expended by Parliament. I will not sit here and start legitimising street talk,” Tayebwa said. “I am a Member of Parliament and I have not received any money. If someone has my money, please bring it because someone may be eating on my behalf.”
His remarks were in response to a matter raised by Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, who demanded an explanation from the leadership regarding the alleged payouts.
“For the last one day, the country and media have been awash with reports that each MP received UGX 100 million from the President. As head of this institution, I expected you to address these allegations as soon as they emerged,” Kivumbi said.
For three consecutive days, Parliament has been awash with rumours of MPs collecting cash from various undisclosed locations in Kampala. Historically, such reports tend to fizzle out without official confirmation—unless opposition MPs, as seen in past cases, withdraw the alleged funds from their accounts and return them publicly as a form of protest against what they term “bribes.”
In this case, however, the reported disbursements were said to have been made in hard cash, accessible only to those willing to collect it off the record.
Tayebwa maintained that if any such payouts had been made, they were not sanctioned by Parliament, and the institution could not be held accountable.
“If you have private dealings outside there, please don’t drag them into this House. We never approved any donation from the President to Members of Parliament. And if you think maligning colleagues makes you cleaner, think again. Mud thrown at others will eventually stick to you,” Tayebwa cautioned.
Speculation around the alleged “cash bonanza” links it to recent parliamentary decisions, including the approval of a supplementary budget that covered a government payout to electricity distributor Umeme, whose concession ends in March 2025. Another theory suggests the cash could have been a token of appreciation following the passage of the controversial National Coffee Amendment Bill, which dissolved the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, who also leads the ruling NRM Parliamentary Caucus, challenged Kivumbi to produce evidence—such as payslips—if he indeed received the alleged funds.
“From what I’ve also heard, I want to state clearly that all MPs are paid through a statutory process. And in law, the burden of proof lies with the accuser. Can he show proof of receipt, since he is also a Member of Parliament?” Obua asked.
Earlier in the day, Parliament’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Chris Obore, issued a statement dismissing the reports as false and reaffirming that no payments had been made to MPs outside official procedures.
