Ahead of the thanksgiving ceremony for his father Daudi Bangirana, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa was facing criticism with some questioning the source of the money he used to build the mega house of God. But the event was an opportunity for him to explain to those who attended how he got the money.
First, Deputy Speaker Tayebwa, who is also the MP for Ruhinda North, revealed that the mega St Karoli Lwanga Kigarama Catholic Parish in Bitereko would have swallowed a whopping Shs2.7bn by the time it gets fully completed.
Tayebwa also explained that the ‘launch’ had been rushed so as to have an opportunity to celebrate the life of his father Bangirana, who is now 80 years old, in a thanksgiving ceremony attended those who matter in Uganda’s business sector and the country’s parliament.
He assured Christians that they should not worry that he had run out of money to complete the church, adding that there was no need to hold fundraising functions to collect the funds since the money needed was already there.
Thomas Tayebwa also made it clear that he had not used government money to build the mega church as some have been claiming. So, how did he get the Shs2.7bn to build St Karoli Lwanga Kigarama Catholic Parish, one of the finest in the district of Mitooma and outside the district?
The youthful MP revealed that he had got most of the money to build the House of God from his friends in the business community. Interestingly, some of the tycoons who attended are not even Christians – but friendship transcends religion.
To assure the doubting Thomases, Thomas Tayebwa revealed that in the meeting through which most of the funds were collected, it took about 30 minutes for the wealthy businessmen and politicians to raise Shs1.7bn. And there were about 10 people in that meeting in Munyonyo.
“[The entire church construction work] will cost us Shs2.7bn. And I heard some people say, ‘you get government money, you build such a church.’ Just in less than one hour, when they [the deputy speaker’s friends from the business community] passed home, these people gave me Shs1.7bn,” he revealed.
“We are completing it. Don’t see [that there are] no glasses, and you say ‘these people are in fundraisings.’ We have the resources to complete it. Even tomorrow, the contractors are continuing, but we prematurely did this because we had to celebrate Mzee.”
The question of politicians’ source of wealth remains dominant as Ugandans, especially youth join the fight against corruption, with calls on Speaker Anita Among to resign over allegations. President Yoweri Museveni has previously questioned how Speaker Anita Among got the money to build a teaching hospital and other projects in Bukedea. Speaker Anita Among has also previously shared a painful story of her life growing up under difficult conditions. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
Meanwhile, at the thanksgiving mass in Mitooma, Speaker Anita Among made it clear that she does not want to overstay in power and that she intends to serve one term and hand over to Thomas Tayebwa. (Read Story Here).
