DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT SURVIVES HELICOPTER CRASH IN MBARARA

BY AGGREY TWESIGYE & WILBER MUHWEZI KASIBANTE [MK]
MBARARA/ BUSHENYI AND KAMPALA——-
Last evening, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa narrowly escaped a plane crash at Nyakisharara airstrip in Mbarara city.

His helicopter experienced a technical issue and had to return to the airstrip, where it caught fire upon landing. Fortunately, Tayebwa and the crew had disembarked quickly after landing.

On Saturday, Tayebwa attended President Museveni’s inauguration of the new Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua 132kv power line, which connects the West Nile sub-region to the national grid.

Afterward, the Deputy Speaker hurried to Bushenyi for the giveaway ceremony (Kuhingira) of Edith Ainomugisha and Albert Bagabe. Edith is the daughter of Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation, and Annet Katusiime Mugisha, the Woman MP for Bushenyi.

Since the ceremony ended late, Tayebwa’s convoy rushed to Nyakisharara airfield to catch a chopper back to Kampala. However, upon arrival, they were informed that the chopper couldn’t fly at night due to a lack of night vision.

While Tayebwa’s team initially agreed to stay in Mbarara, BAR’s CEO Barak Orland assured them he could fly them to Kampala at night. They boarded another chopper, but fire was seen coming from the cockpit, causing panic among the passengers.

The pilot was forced to crash-land the chopper, and Tayebwa’s security team had to rescue him and the other passengers.

In a tweet this morning, Tayebwa mentioned that neither he nor his crew were injured.