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Deputy Speaker Tayebwa Mourns Pope Francis, Calls for Action on Global Conflicts and Service to the Underprivileged
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, visited Rugaba to offer his condolences in memory of Pope Francis, delivering a poignant message that resonated with the late pontiff’s dedication to service and peace.
Speaking to mourners, Tayebwa emphasised the Pope’s unwavering commitment to the underprivileged, stating, “He preached service for the underprivileged. And I do hope it’s a reminder for us readers that indeed, those are the poor we should serve most. They are the most deserving because they don’t have a voice. The voice is through us leaders, the voices through their cries and all that, and we should be listening to them.”
Tayebwa announced his intention to attend the Pope’s burial, expressing his desire to bid farewell to “a friend of humanity.” He highlighted the Pope’s special connection with Uganda, recalling his visit and his constant prayers for the nation.
A significant portion of Tayebwa’s address focused on the Pope’s tireless efforts to promote peace in conflict zones. He recounted instances of the Pope making calls to communities in Gaza, even from his hospital bed, pleading for peace. “I hope the world would listen to his request and to his plea for peace,” Tayebwa implored. “Because a peaceful world, we cannot fit in properly so that all these children, all these women, all these helpless people who are dying in conflicts, all these refugees we are seeing coming from all over East Africa, from DRC, from South Sudan, the Pope was praying that they do have peace in their homes.”
He further called for concrete action to address the root causes of these conflicts, stating, “These refugees are suffering so much, I hope we can repay them by sorting out these conflicts. These are human-inflicted conflicts whereby we disagree, you know we disagree, and we decide to fight each other. And sometimes you ask, What are you fighting for? And you don’t even see it.”
Tayebwa stressed the importance of dialogue and reconciliation, particularly among leaders. “It’s very important for us as leaders to speak to those who disagree with us, because if you cannot speak to your enemies, if you cannot speak to those who disagree with you, then how would you expect peace?” he questioned. “And how would you export peace if you cannot create peace within your own hearts? How will you share peace and love with others? And this is what Pope Francis was fighting for.”
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