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Ssegirinya Laid to Rest, NUP Demands Report on Masaka Murders

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His burial was overshadowed by politics of spite and heated disagreements over the burial arrangement, which resulted in organizing two parallel funeral assemblies; at his parents' home and a community playground; venues about 4 kilometres apart.
12 Jan 2025 19:53
Some of the NUP Leaders and Supporters at Burrial of MP Muhammad Ssegirinya on Sunday. I happened after a heated controversy

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Muhammad Ssegirinya, the late Member of Parliament for Kawempe North constituency, has been laid to rest in Masaka. Ssegirinya was buried at his ancestral home at Butale cell in Nyendo-Mukungwe division, Masaka City on Sunday evening, amid heated controversy between the security organs and the leadership of his political party; the National Unity Platform that resisted an official funeral accorded to him by parliament. 

His funeral was overshadowed by politics of spite and heated disagreements over the burial arrangement, which resulted in organizing two parallel funeral assemblies; at his parent's home and a community playground; venues about 4 kilometers apart. NUP leadership objected to the official burial arrangements organized by the Parliamentary Commission and instead chose to forcefully block attempts to take the body to the venue of the official funeral. 

Robert Kyagulanyi, Ssentamu, the NUP Party President said; they were not comfortable participating in burial arrangements spearheaded by the government to mock the deceased who died after an illness that arose from condition of a long remand sentence in prison. Ssegirinya was shortly after the 2021 general elections alongside his Makindye West counterpart Allan Ssewanyana, on allegations that they participated in the wave of murders that claimed 26 lives in Masaka and Lwengo districts.

Kyagulanyi accused the state of torturing the fallen legislator in retribution, after failing to get incriminating evidence against him to support trial. Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi challenged the government to provide a detailed report about the murders for which Ssegirinya was arrested and tortured. 

He says the party is going to vigorously demand that the state accounts for the murders, such that the elatives can get justice. Ssenyonyi also lashed out to his predecessor Nyendo-Mukungwe Division MP Mathias Mpuuga for compromising with parliament to lead a team that organized an official send-off, arguing that it was a mockery to the legacy of Ssegirinya, whom he says was deliberately mistreated by the government.   

//Cue in; “ebibuuzo tulina bingi…..  

Cue out: ……ku nsonga eyo.”// 

 

Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, the Nyendo-Mukungwe MP has condemned the fracas that played out at funeral functions, describing it as insensitive and demeaning to both the deceased and his family. 

He accused the NUP top leadership of exhibiting what he described as insatiable hate against the Ssegirinya, to the extent of failing to restrain their rowdy supporters to accord him respect even at his final moment.   

//Cue in: “ekikoleddwa ku muganda waffe….  

Cue out; ….tuli bakulembeze.”//   

The Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga in his condolence message read by Minister in Charge of Cabinet Affairs, Noah Kiyimba, eulogized Ssegirinya as a brave leader who defied difficult moments to rise to fame. Kiyimba called upon the mourner to honor the deceased's good works at carrying them forward instead of ridiculing him.    

//Cue in: Ssegirinya agendede….  

Cue out; ……atusibe ekimyu.”//