Umeme opens assault case against Ruhinda North MP Tayebwa

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North, Thomas Tayebwa is in trouble after Umeme Limited opened a case against him on allegations of assaulting its contractor.

Tayebwa is alleged to have assaulted the Umeme Ltd. contractor early this week as he disconnected the MP from a transmission line on which he had connected illegally.

In a video that has since gone viral, MP Tayebwa is seen questioning a man who had disconnected power in addition to ordering him to lie down. The gentleman is seen being beaten as they counted up to 10 strokes.

Peter Kaujju, head of communications at Umeme Ltd. said a case of assault on Ref: SD/87/26/2020 has been reported at Katwe police station. “UMEME’s attention has been drawn to a video making rounds in which one of our contractor employees is seen beaten at the premises said to belong to Hon. Thomas Tayebwa in Busabala, Kampala. Umeme strongly condemns acts of human rights violation,” said Kaujju.

Efforts to speak to MP Tayebwa were futile as he did not pick nor return our calls. However, Kaujju said the incident is being investigated and Umeme will provide the necessary support to the authorities in this matter.

This is not the first time where powerful and rich people have assaulted people while on their lawful duties. In May this year, police briefly detained Maj. Gen Paul Lokech on allegations of confronting a senior female traffic police officer ASP Ruth Kyobutungi, on Namugongo road.

Former NRM Western Regional Vice Chairman, Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza last year also assaulted a female traffic officer Sgt. Esther Namaganda in Seeta, Mukono.

CID records of 2019 show 31,895 cases of assault were reported presenting a 12.1 percent decrease compared to cases reported of 2018.

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