Apologise publicly, Tayebwa tell journalist who distorted his video
According to Tayebwa, the edited video created the impression that he was demeaning nurses and suggesting that they could not become leaders, prompting widespread criticism and abuse on social media.
Apologise publicly, Tayebwa tell journalist who distorted his video
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Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has asked a journalist who edited and shared a misleading version of his remarks about nurses to issue a public apology.
Addressing Parliament on October 12, 2026, Tayebwa said John Paul Sewaduka, a journalist accredited to Parliament and working with CBS FM, edited a video of his remarks on the proposed Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at Mbarara University and shared the altered version on his personal online platform, SPJ Exclusive Media. Tayebwa made the remarks during Tuesday’s plenary sitting.
According to Tayebwa, the edited video created the impression that he was demeaning nurses and suggesting that they could not become leaders, prompting widespread criticism and abuse on social media. However, in his communication, he described nurses as professionals, some of whom already hold PhDs and senior leadership positions.
Tayebwa said he spoke to the journalist, who apologised. However, he explained that a private apology was insufficient because the video had been shared publicly and had already reached a wide audience.
“I told him to make a public apology because you cannot tarnish my name in public and apologise to me in private,” he said.
He disclosed that he had referred the matter to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) for consideration. He also asked Parliament’s Corporate Affairs Department to handle the issue in line with its established guidelines to ensure accurate reporting of proceedings in the House.
He said the incident should concern all legislators because any public official can become a victim of misleading edits of video or audio recordings.
Good working relationship
Tayebwa said Parliament was working to create a media-friendly environment, recognising the important role journalists play in informing the public about legislative proceedings and the institution’s activities.
“The media is very critical for the performance of this Parliament, but they are not above scrutiny when they do wrong things,” he said.