He Hates Banyarwanda: Muganga Accuses Tayebwa of Anti-Banyarwanda Bias After Parliamentary Rejection

Victoria University Vice Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga has accused Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa of discrimination against Banyarwanda and denied allegations that he holds a Rwandan passport, following his rejection by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

In a statement posted on X, Muganga dismissed claims made by Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda that the committee rejected him because he allegedly possessed three passports, namely Ugandan, Canadian and Rwandan.

Muganga insisted that he does not hold a Rwandan passport and alleged that the claim was introduced during the vetting process by Tayebwa.

“I do NOT hold a Rwandan passport. This is a deliberate falsehood introduced by Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, and the truth must be told,” Muganga stated.

The academic further claimed that the decision to reject him had already been made before the vetting process began. According to Muganga, remarks made during the committee proceedings suggested that his fate had been predetermined.

He alleged that Tayebwa told him that the committee had to reject at least one candidate during every vetting exercise and that he had been selected for that role. Muganga said he intends to release audio recordings which he claims will support his allegations.

Muganga described his experience before the committee as discriminatory, claiming he was targeted because of his Banyarwanda heritage.

“What I experienced in that committee was not parliamentary oversight. It was hatred. It was discrimination. It was racism directed at me simply because I am a Munyarwanda,” he said.

He added that throughout his professional career across different countries, he had never encountered the treatment he allegedly received during the vetting process. Muganga further questioned what he described as hostility towards Banyarwanda and challenged members of the committee to speak about what transpired.

The vice chancellor also raised questions about the reasons behind his rejection, suggesting there may have been concerns about what his appointment could reveal if approved.

Muganga emphasized that Banyarwanda are equal citizens of Uganda and should not face discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or origin.

His remarks came shortly after MP Daudi Kabanda defended the committee’s decision, stating that investigations had allegedly established that Muganga possessed Ugandan, Canadian and Rwandan passports. Kabanda dismissed claims that ethnicity played a role in the rejection, noting that several Ugandans of Banyarwanda descent have previously been approved for public office.

Political commentator Frank Gashumba, a close associate of Muganga, has also criticized the vetting process and questioned the grounds upon which the academic was rejected.

The Appointments Committee has not publicly released detailed reasons for rejecting Muganga beyond concerns reportedly related to citizenship requirements under Ugandan law.

The allegations made by Muganga against Tayebwa have not yet received an official response from the Deputy Speaker.