
Kawempe North Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya, takes an oath during the swearing-in ceremony of 11th Parliament on May 20, 2021. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
Leaders and residents of Kawempe and surrounding areas have heaped praises on the fallen Member of Parliament for Kawempe North, Muhammad Ssegirinya following his demise.
Some leaders interviewed by this publication described him as "Mr Updates," noting how he used social media to mobilise the diaspora community to contribute to his transformative projects in Kawempe.
By 9am on Thursday, several friends and politicians were seen at his Kyebando office, inquiring about the late MP’s home so that they could join the rest of the mourners.
Mr Boney Bukenya, a councillor for Kawempe III and a close associate of the late MP, said:“While sitting in the office, Ssegirinya promised me that he was going to transform his constituency into ‘London.’ At first, I saw it as a joke. He said he would use his social media platforms to solicit funds. He started with the hospital, then introduced the 'Ssegi Box,' a technical school, and a mobile clinic. Unfortunately, he was arrested before achieving these goals."
Mr Bukenya added, "Projects like the hospital and the 'Ssegi Box' were solely attributed to him, making him the sole proprietor. As you know, the benefits of a sole proprietorship come with significant risks. When he fell sick, the business also suffered. Now that he has died, these projects are at risk of dying with him. In Uganda, in terms of social media influence, Ssegirinya was number one. Even the late Jajja Ichuli respected his capabilities. He used social media positively, mobilising the diaspora community to gather resources that sustained his projects in the constituency. However, after his arrest, the projects stalled. His finances, which largely came from the diaspora, stopped flowing, causing everything to fail.”
His projects
However, he explained that most of his projects failed during his arrests because they heavily depended on social media.
“Even here in the office, I used to receive people daily, while he was in prison, asking for help. People contributed significant sums of money to his projects. Social media live streams played a major role in sustaining these efforts," he said.
The Kawempe Division Mayor, Dr Emmanuel Sserunjogi, said they have organised a special sitting today to discuss and ensure that the legacy he started in the constituency continues.
“Tomorrow (Friday) the Council will convene to discuss his initiatives and programmes. We will decide the way forward for his projects, including the hospital and the ambulance. Maintaining an ambulance is not an easy task, and we need to find solutions. He had been sick for some time, and we had been praying for his quick recovery, but we were shocked by the news we received,” Mr Sserunjogi said.
He added, “He will be remembered for his contributions and what he achieved during his tenure. He sacrificed his own money to establish a hospital and brought an ambulance. He loved to serve, and it is heartbreaking that he didn’t get the chance to serve as he wished. Everything he had planned was halted by this government when he was arrested and charged with something he did not commit."
The Kawempe mayor also tasked the government to provide evidence for the charges they had labelled against him for the Masaka killings.
"It was only after his health deteriorated in prison that they decided to grant him bail. We have been fighting and are still fighting for justice,” he said.
Use of media
Mr Bashir Kazibwe Mbaziira, MP for Kawempe South, said:"I used to work on different radio stations, and Ssegirinya was one of the regular callers. We faced similar challenges at the NUP headquarters, as we were among the last candidates to be announced as NUP flag bearers. We only succeeded because people helped us pressure the leaders to issue those cards. In the 11th Parliament, he announced that he had completed his manifesto in six months. He brought an ambulance, built a hospital, and helped many people. None of us in the 11th Parliament had ever thought of such achievements, but he did it, and we should learn from him," Mr Kazibwe said
He added, "He has been an example to many young people, especially those from humble backgrounds. He rose from nothing to become a national star in politics and in helping people. He didn’t have a strong educational background but came out to challenge many of us.”
Mr Kazibwe urged the young generation to look up to him. According to him, he was an example to many ghetto youth, showing that they could rise from the ghetto and achieve greatness in this country.
Umar Magala, NUP mobiliser for Kawempe North and MP aspirant for 2026, expressed his sorrow: "With deep sorrow, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of my comrade, the president of the National Unity Platform, and the people of Kawempe North for this big loss of our freedom fighter.
He said Ssegirinya stood on the floor of Parliament and demanded his freedom.
A man of the people
A businesswoman in Kasangati, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “He has been a good customer. When even they detained National Unity Plant Form (NUP) supporters here (Kasangati Police Situation) he came here for lunch. He could even buy a whole carton of water. I also liked him, because he could not use vulgar language like some of the people who accompanied him to the police.”
Ibrahim Ssemujju, a friend of the departed Member of Parliament in Bulamu Deputy Village, Kasangati Town Council, said:“I got to know about him when he was still a student at Pimba Secondary School in Kyebando. After some time, he expressed interest in journalism and polices. He would call the Voice of Kyebando and MP to be. I was with him when he carried televisions to Parliament in 2015 when the Uganda Communications Commission introduced migration of television signals from analogue to digital.”
Mr Tom Muwonge, mayor, Kasanganti Town Council said: “He was a developmental Member of Parliament who had a heart for people. He had promised to partner with the municipality to work on some roads within Kansangati Municipality. He was also an ambassador of peace and unity. We shall miss him.”
Mr Kayemba Nicholas, Defence Secretary for Bulamu Deputy Village in Kasangati Town Council, said:” I got to know him in 2021 when he came with a group of lawyers to introduce himself, that he had bought a house in Bulamu at about Shs100m. His relationship with the local leadership has been good, even though we subscribe to different political parties. We express our heartfelt condolences, especially to his family, the people of Kawempe, NUP and the entire Uganda for having lost a gallant and innovative political leader. He has left a gap that may take long to feel.”
Faruk Mujunga, a cleaner at Ssegirinya’s Kyebando-based political office said: “I feel so bad because I have been rendered jobless. Now that he is gone, I no longer have a job. The office is likely to be closed. He has been paying me a monthly salary of Shs130,000. It has helped me to cater for my needs and support my mother in the village. This is terrible.”