Many times, when a prominent politician of a particular party dies, other leaders from a different party want to associate with the late rightly or wrongly.
At Muhammad Ssegirinya’s sendoff, the FDC Chief Whip, Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi saying that they groomed the late.
Historical known facts are that Ssegirinya initially belonged to Uganda Young Democrats, a Youth organization of Democratic Party. When Michael Mabikke then MP for Makindye East formed SDP, Ssegirinya who began his politics from a Kimeeza on a radio then stationed at Namirembe joined it.
He wanted to vie for Member of Parliament for Kawempe North but because the minimum required academic papers were lacking, he was advised to vie for the position of Councilor which he objected to.
In 2006, Ssegirinya, a man you could not ignore, had converted to Islam after sensing that Kawempe was predominantly Islamic.
He joined FDC in 2016 and successfully vied for the position of Lord councilor and in 2021 he was one of those who joined the bandwagon of People Power which later became NUP.
How Ssegirinya’s woes began
After Ssegirinya winning the Kawempe North position, Sulaiman Kidandala, one of his competitors sued him for lack of academic qualifications.
In order to prove his point, he attached to the petition an O’level Certificate bearing a female name. He also annexed an A ‘level certificate bearing another female name and from a different school.
Shortly after the elections, Ssegirinya was among some Lord Councilors and Mayors from Kampala who went to meet Gen Salim Saleh in Gulu and came back with brown envelopes.
This group which was led by one Luutu who is now blind and was once a Councilor representing People with Disability (PWDs) were given unwritten instructions not to stage any political rally within Kampala city open space particularly in the Central Business District located in Kampala Central Division.
They also agreed to have a good Kampala Mayor and also replace the then Kampala minister Frank Kajiiji Tumwebaze. They were given Betty Kamya who pledged 80 percent win for Museveni in Kampala come 2026.
Ssegirinya used some of the Gulu money to purchase various properties in various areas and to serve the needy people in his Constituency especially pregnant women.
After being sued, Ssegirinya on various occasions traveled to Amsterdam to solicit for some finances. On realizating that the election petition required a lot of money, he considered seeking for a loan from one of the commercial banks amounting to Shs. 1bn.
The Bank was hesitant to grant such a huge loan to a new MP who was also before court. A prominent parliamentary top official allegedly came in to recommend Ssegirinya on conditions that the later parts with Shs600m to help him win the petition on preliminary objection without going into full hearing.
And Indeed, Ssegirinya’s election petition was dismissed on preliminary stage. Since Ssegirinya was in Kitalya Maximum prison, the Prison Authority lied that Kindandala’s lawyers Sam Muyizzi failed to serve them and even refused to present the book register to court where people visiting prisoners register to effect court’s decision.
As it is well known that President Museveni is one of the most dangerous persons to deal with on issues of finances through a third party. Like the saying goes; “it is risky for one to provoke a crocodile when part of your body is still in water”.
When a financial deal came up for both Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana, the duo is alleged to have made a U-turn and started provoking the “crocodile” yet both used this dirty money differently.
Whereas Ssewanyana purchased prime land at Entebbe along Lake Victoria, Ssegirinya bought several plots of land from different areas, got concubines and girlfriends from whom he furthered over 20 children.
And now his family is requesting parliament to have DNA tests to know the exact number of the late’s biological children.
Most importantly Ssegirinya made an impact in Constituency i.e. He constructed a health facility with trained doctors and an ambulance with fuel to help the need especially pregnant women, he also introduced the Seg Box which upgraded some people.
Because he is neighboring Kawempe South which the area MP Bashir Kazibwa had neglected, Ssegirinya was at times forced to stretch his assistance to some needy people to South.
At one time Ssegirinya donated Shs 50m to his girlfriend in Amsterdam but later on when he fell short of money, he requested this girlfriend to refund half of it, a request she refused.
Expectations in Muwanga’s leadership
Muwanga has been appointed deputy president Buganda region in a time when they are heading for a by-election In Kawempe North.
Even before the Election roadmap for the by-election is released, there are about ten people aspiring for the Constituency half of these being NUP members.
These include Counsel Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola a former DP legal advisor, he is determined to compete with or without a party card, Magala, the Kawempe North coordinator and professional teacher, Luwemba Alex now Mohammad 27 who just like Ssegirinya converted to Islam a year ago.
Others are; Mutumba current LCIII Councilor for Kawempe I, Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro who had an intention to vie for the same position, has been switched to Nakawa East to replace Eng Balimwezo who was ordered to vie for Kampala Mayorship position and if need be die in lake rather than a swamp.
“Self-claimed General” Nakato Nusifa, former girlfriend to the later Kampala Mayor Al-hajj Nasser Sebaggala, once attacked the late and claimed he was in comedy and wasn’t sick, has also expressed interest in vying for the same position.
Nusifa who is seen as another Ssegirinya, is ready for a protest vote and to show her seriousness, she has already printed some posters before nominations just like others.
A one Umar Magala, a former NUP Registrar for Kawempe has also expressed interest to repalce the late Ssegirinya.
From Ssegirinya’s family there are two aspiring candidates, Alex Lusswa Luwemba backed by Ssegirinya’s mother and one a Twayira Akandiida, widow to the late has also declared and ready to vie to continue the legacy of Ssegirinya in Kawempe North.
The family expressed confidence that Luwemba, who was a close confidant of the late Ssegirinya, would fulfill the promises and dreams left unfinished by the deceased MP.
Nakajumba Ssegirinya’s mother said that the family’s decision was drawn from the desire “to continue my son’s legacy because we believe he understands the people’s needs and will continue to advocate for them.”
Interestingly, one of the Ssegirinya’s widow who claims to have been carrying the late husband’s bag and writing notice for the late has also shown interest for the same seat, time will tell after the two nomination days.
Corruption and Mengo challenges ahead of Muwanga.
As Muwanga takes on the mantle as deputy president Buganda, the two major challenges he faces are fighting corruption and bringing back NUP’s confidence to Mengo establishment.
After the controversial service award of Shs 500m given to Mpuuga and other four Commissioners from NRM. NUP choose to crucify Mpuuga as most NUP MPs signed the Unsuccessful Theodore Ssekikubo’s failed censure Motion.
The tough question is; “will Muwanga have capacity to fight other corrupt MPs who allegedly are still chewing Museveni’s ‘dirty’ money?”
An example is the Shs40m given to most NUP members to extend Madhivani’s contract of Bujagali electoral dam which was expiring.
Only three MPS publicly declared that they received the money but only Twaha Kagabo had the curtesy of returning it. Mpuuga the LOP then refused to receive this money return by Kagabo and instead gave him one of his police bodyguards to lead him to the Right honorable Speaker Anita Among who said she wasn’t aware Kagabo was an MP.
Kagabo ended up facing the IGG with the exhibit and the case died there, the bitter question is: can Muwanga find out who is currently in possession of the controversial Shs 40m?
Then what is the fate of the other two legislators who admitted having received the same amount and kept the money plus other party MPs who decided to chew the loot quietly.
At the end of 2023, Muwanga got news of a planned bribe package of Shs100m to be given to each MP, he whispered this to the principal who warned his 57 MPs not to go near this dirty money. The Speaker denied that there was no such an arrangement.
Some fellow NUP MPs were angered with Muwanga rumormongering and quietly vowed to fight him in his then bid seeking for the LOP position after Mpuuga was kicked out.
Indeed, most MPs including those from other parties like NRM received Shs 50m as half of the promised money before Christmas and received the balance in January 2024.
Bobi Wine’s bullet proof car was confiscated by URA for failing to pay an additional Shs 360m and president Museveni who offered Mpuuga Shs500m paid the balance. Will Muwanga generate the guts to look at this critically? Your answer is as good as mine.
NUP disagreements with Mengo.
On many occasions, some NUP leaders and foot soldiers have been attacking the Mengo leadership on social media including the Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga as Bobi Wine was looking on. Mengo chose to stop hosting him on its media stations CBS radio and BBS Telefayina.
As a Mubanda wa Kabaka as he refers to himself, Bobi Wine was expected to apologize on behalf of his junior political leaders and the unruly foot soldiers but he chose to join them to an extent of demanding for the sick Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi to be brought back from Namibia specialized hospital where he was being treated from.
Because of the consistent criticism to the Namibian Government, it denied the visiting Bataka access to the Kabaka. And due to the unending criticism by foot soldiers, Namibia’s Government was forced to prematurely fly the Kabaka back to Uganda.
In his maiden speech after he came back, the angry Kabaka told the Bataka the limits of their role in the Kingdom.
In such a situation, Muwanga faces a higher task as deputy president Buganda region a post he is holding in acting capacity for six months.
How will Ssegirinya’s orphans’ future be?
When Ssegirinya fell ill after serving parliament for only six months, party leaders did not come to his rescue forcing his mother to go to Speaker Anita who gave her facilitation.
Speaker Among offered to pay school fees for Nagirinya the eldest daughter of Ssegininya and Minister Chris Baryomunsi offered to pay for the other mothered by a lady coming from his district.
While at Nairobi International hospital, the principal and current NUP LOP Joel Ssenyonyi visited him. The only sign to show for accountability purposes were photographs with him. On one official visit Ssenyonyi picked a five-day allowance yet he spent only one day in Nairobi. It was after the whistleblower raising this anomaly that he refunded the balance.
Ssegirinya before his death told us that when his two bosses visited him, they found his mother who was attending to her sleeping in the corridos of the hospital and that it was MPuuga who hired a house for her near the hospital to enable her comfortably attend to her son.
If the late’s story is to be believed, then the mother’s generous thanks to Mpuuga came from the bottom of her heart.
It is said that even at his death bed at Lubaga hospital where Ssegirinya spent a month, Mpuuga still rented a house for the mother of Ssegirinya.
When a serving legislator passes on, parliament is mandated to give him a decent burial. In Ssegirinya’s case a special burial committee was put up and Shs 67m was passed for his burial arrangements.
In his speech, Bobi Wine was heard loud and clear attacking this parliamentary officer in bitter words and in the face of the wailing Ssegirinya’s mother: “Ssegirinya is not worthy your money you idiots!”
Here is another important question; Is giving Ssegirinya Shs 67m for a final send off more expensive than the Shs 7m given to Ssenyonyi daily as office expense on top of other facilities? I don’t need your answer, whisper it to your neighbor.
May Allah bless those who want to ouster Museveni while living lavish lifestyle. Each night, Museveni must be laughing louder at the divisions within the opposition as he enjoys in his wide bedroom ambiance with the First Lady.
Article opinion by; Siraje Lubwama,
Senior Investigative Journalist in crime, court land matters, human Rights.
Freelance Journalist, with Alternative Digitalk