Kampala January 9—Uganda is mourning the demise of the Member of Parliament for Kawempe North, Muhammad Ssegirinya who passed-on early Thursday at Lubaga hospital at the age of 37.
Majority of Ugandans contend, Ssegirinya is a victim of bad politics for having been arrested several times on trumped-up charges, tortured and delayed medical attention worsened his health condition.
Ssegirinya started his political ambition in 2006 while still at school in senior 3 at Pimba secondary school in Kyebando Kawempe division as a caller on radio political shows and rose up to a local councilor where his enthusiasm of fighting for the marginalized community earned him popularity among the people and he ended up in Parliament in 2021.
However his fight for the marginalized community, caused hatred against him by the powers that are who believed that by awakening the community on their rights, could lead to public violence, which is a threat to those in power. Security reacted to his activism with arrests, torture and detentions, which had negative impact on his health.
Ssegirinya never had any chance to enjoy his political elevation to Parliament as harassment on his life intensified. Just before he could be sworn-in as Member of Parliament representing Kawmpe North in 2021, charges of terrorism were already preferred for him and soon he was arrested together with his colleague, Makindye west legislator, Allan Ssewanyana, were arrested on charges related with the machette killings in Masaka, where 20 people lost their lives. They were charged with murder and terrorism and remained incarcerated in prison till 2023 when they were granted bail after several attempts to secure bail for him to receive treatment ended in vain.
It was after then frantic efforts were made for him to receive treatment both locally and abroad in Germany, Kenya and the Netherlands but the situation had already worsened and was going under terrible pain. Although doctors did all they could to save his life he finally succumbed to complications of lung disease, hypertention, skin cancer among others which have tortured for a long period escalated by torture and prison life.
According to a funeral programme, Ssegirinya will be buried on Sunday January 12 in Masaka.
