Who is Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, Ruhinda North County, relationship with Anita Rukundo, Anita Among, Jacob Oulanyah, early life and education of the current Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda
Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa commonly known as Thomas Tayebwa is a Ugandan lawyer, businessman and politician.
He is the current Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North County in Mitooma District and the Deputy Speaker of the 11th Ugandan Parliament.
Thomas Tayebwa has served as a member of the National Economy Committee and Natural Resources Committee and also as the Government’s Chief Whip.
Tayebwa belongs to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party.
Early Life
Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa was born on 10 November 1980 to Bangirana Daudi and Betty Komuhangi of Bitereko Village in Mitooma District, Uganda.
Previously, his father served as the district health inspector for Bushenyi, Kabale, and Rukungiri.
When Tayebwa’s parents divorced, he was just three years old, and his grandmother—a devoted Catholic—took him in.
She made him become an extremely devout Catholic. He was a muzaveeri (Xaverian) and a Munyangabo, a member of a certain Catholic group that shapes someone.
His mother took care of him after his grandmother passed away.
Education Background
Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa attended Kigarama Primary School for his primary education.
For his O-level education, Tayebwa first went to Makobore High School in Rukungiri district. He was, however, chased in senior two due to stubbornness after he stroked over bad food.
He then went to Kigarama Senior Secondary School which was near his parents’ home to complete his O-level studies.
For his A-level education, Tayebwa went to Nganwa High School where he became the first Catholic head boy in the Anglican-Church-founded school. He was however also expelled following his refusal to report the students who had escaped from school to go to town.
He then joined Ruyonza Secondary School in Bushenyi where he sat for his UACE examinations in 2000.
Tayebwa graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences degree in 2005.
Additionally, he graduated from Makerere with a Bachelor of Law degree in 2012.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Kigarama Primary School | PLE | |
| Kigarama Senior Secondary School | UCE | |
| 2000 | Ruyonza School | UACE |
| 2005 | Makerere University | Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences degree |
| 2012 | Makerere University | Bachelor of Law degree |
Other Academic Achievements
Tayebwa also attended Harvard Law School, where he graduated with a certificate in negotiation and a certificate in parliamentary affairs from the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies in London, United Kingdom (UK).
Tayebwa received a master’s degree in business administration from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute in Arusha, Tanzania, in November 2021.
Marriage / Relationship
Tayebwa wed Anita Rukundo on February 14, 2009, at Makerere, Kampala’s St. Augustine Chapel.
Together, they are parents to one son who they got after nine years of marriage.
Career and Professional Work Experience
During his campus days, Thomas Tayebwa would come back home during holidays to teach so as to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher.
However, he started developing an interest in elective politics in 1996 when he had an encounter with Maj Gen (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire at a campaign rally.
After earning his Law degree, he travelled to South Sudan to conduct business with Mandela of City Tyres and Toban Idis of KK Travelers.
Formerly a youthful winger of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party, Tayebwa entered elective politics in October 2015 on the NRM ticket and was victorious in the party’s primaries with 15092 votes.
He was elected without opposition from Ruhinda North County in Mitooma District to The Tenth Parliament in the 2016 general elections.
During the 10th parliament, he was a member of the Natural Resources Committee and the National Economy Committee.
Tayebwa contested again in the 2021 general elections and won remaining the Member of Parliament Ruhinda North County Constituency for yet another term.
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni appointed him as the Government Chief Whip, a post he held for a few months until quitting in response to being elected Deputy Speaker.
In the 11th parliament, Tayebwa was elected as Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament on March 25, 2022, replacing Anita Among who rose to replace the late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
Tayebwa received 379 votes in a voting exercise conducted at the Kololo Independence grounds under the direction of Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, while Moses Okot p’Bitek of the opposition received just 82 votes.
Member of Parliament Career experience
| Term | Years | Constituency | Other roles |
| 1st | 2016 – 2021 | Ruhinda North County, Mitooma District | Member of National Economy Committee and Natural Resources Committee |
| 2nd | 2021 – 2026 | Ruhinda North County, Mitooma District | Deputy Speaker of the Parliament |
Other Career accomplishments
Tayebwa was a successful businessman and qualified lawyer before he entered Parliament. He has been in business partnerships with another tycoon, Caesar Augustine Mulenga, who founded Mulenga Development Kingdom.
In addition to being the chairman of the Bayimba Cultural Foundation Board, Tayebwa is the owner of several businesses, including Wandaz Products Limited, SMS Empire Limited, Cholmart Investments and Gateway Associates Limited.
He is also a well-known philanthropist who has funded numerous community initiatives in Uganda that provide basic necessities like healthcare and education to children in need.
Tayebwa has so far taken the responsibility of educating more than 74 vulnerable children out of which 27 are becoming doctors.
He also supports youths by providing them with start-up capital for businesses and acting as their business mentor
Achievements and Awards
Thomas Bangirana Tayebwa is an entrepreneur with an interest in culture and heritage. He has investments in the transportation industry, media and communication, and cosmetics.
He owns two residences in Mitooma and Kampala, worth more than 4 billion Ugandan Shillings.
He is currently with the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) as a Fellow of MBH.
Tayebwa was a member of the Parliamentary Committees on Natural Resources, and National Economy, and the eight-person Select Committee that looked into Uganda Telecom Ltd.’s (UTL) mismanagement.
Additionally, he has been a member of the Makerere University Council.
The TARU Foundation, established by Thomas Tayebwa, has sponsored numerous children from disadvantaged homes and supported numerous community projects nationwide.
Controversies
On August 21, 2020, Bukenya Bonny, an Umeme employee, came to Tayebwa’s residence in Busaabala to cut the power.
The building’s illegal reconnection to the grid and Tayebwa’s repeated failure to pay electricity bills were reported as the apparent reasons by Umeme management.
Umeme reported Tayebwa to the police for reportedly abusing Bonny on camera. “How many canes are left?” Tayebwa was heard asking in the video. “As my bonus, add him two.”
After reaching a compromise, Tayebwa apologized and Bukenya withdrew all charges on August 29, 2020.
