Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has called for calm following the crash landing of the helicopter that was transporting him from western Uganda to Kampala.
“Dear all, my colleagues and I are okay. No one is hurt,” he posted on social media platform X.
His message was met with a wave of relief and well-wishes from the public. Initial reports suggested that Tayebwa and his team were returning from a marriage ceremony in Bushenyi on Saturday evening.
Sources said the pilot was forced to crash land after the deputy speaker’s team saw fire in the aircraft cockpit.
Recent Activities
Tayebwa, who is also the MP for Ruhinda North county in Mitooma district, had earlier been to West Nile for the commissioning of the area’s connection to the national power grid.
His swift response helped to quell some of the anxiety that had gripped the public. By press time, the Police had not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The incident comes at a time when helicopter travel by public officials has been under scrutiny, with calls for stricter safety regulations and better maintenance of the aircraft used for official purposes
Previous Incidents
In January, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces — Air Force (UPDF-AF) helicopter crashed in Nyamisingiri village, Kichwamba sub-county in Kabarole district.
UPDF-AF spokesperson Maj. Naboth Mugisha said the crash was ‘purely an accident’ and claimed the crew members.
On July 29 last year, a UPDF helicopter crashed and landed in Karamoja during routine operations. The MI24 helicopter crashed at Nadiket village, 5.3km west of Moroto barracks.
However, all three members of the crew survived.
In January 2020, Maj. Naomi Karungi and Robert Wokalu, a cadet pilot, died in a helicopter crash in Butambala district.
