Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, has requested a public apology from a journalist who shared an edited version of his remarks on nursing professionals. Addressing the House on Wednesday, Tayebwa identified John Paul Ssebaduka, a parliamentary reporter for CBS FM, as the source of the controversy. According to Nile Post, Ssebaduka modified a video of Tayebwa’s comments on a new pharmacy undergraduate program at Mbarara University of Science and Technology and posted the altered clip on his personal platform, SPJ Exclusive Media.
Tayebwa explained that the original speech, delivered during Tuesday’s plenary sitting, described nurses as professionals, noting that some hold doctorates and occupy senior leadership roles. However, the edited version created the impression that he was demeaning the profession and suggesting nurses could not become leaders. This shift in tone triggered widespread criticism on social media, leading to numerous phone calls and messages accusing the Deputy Speaker of disrespecting the workforce.
After investigating the source of the viral video, Tayebwa spoke with Ssebaduka, who offered a private apology. Nile Post reports that Tayebwa argued this was insufficient because the clip had already reached many viewers. He stated, “I told him to make a public apology because you cannot tarnish my name in public and apologise to me in private.”
To resolve the matter, Tayebwa referred the issue to the Uganda Communications Commission for review. He also tasked Parliament’s Corporate Affairs Department with handling the dispute in line with established guidelines for accurate reporting of legislative proceedings. The Deputy Speaker noted that the incident should concern all legislators, as any public official can become a victim of misleading video or audio edits.
While demanding accountability, Tayebwa emphasized that Parliament is working to maintain a media-friendly environment. He acknowledged the critical role journalists play in informing the public about the institution’s activities, while asserting that they are not above scrutiny when their reporting is inaccurate.