Inside Muhammad Ssegirinya's Will

Ssegirinya was pronounced dead yesterday by the hospital administrators at 12:30 pm, after two hours of confusion surrounding his death.

He had initially been declared dead earlier at 8 am by several politicians from the National Unity Platform (NUP).

After the announcement, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi, along with Ssegirinya’s family, held a closed-door meeting to finalise the burial arrangements.

One of the dignitaries who attended the meeting revealed that Ssegirinya’s wishes were discussed and agreed upon by those present before the final burial plans were released.

One of the key requests was that he should be mourned for a week and that only Mr Kyagulanyi should speak at his funeral.

This was confirmed by Mr Bosco Kasagga Mawanda, one of his close relatives, in an interview with Monitor.

“When we were burying the late Kato Lubwama, the former Rubaga South MP who died in 2023, Ssegirinya said that he should be mourned for a week, just like his colleague was mourned for a week and a half,” Mr Mawanda said.

“Ssegirinya, being a Muslim, is supposed to be buried within a day. We have been negotiating with the religious leaders in the Muslim community to grant him his wish, and we have struck a balance by allowing him to be mourned for at least three days,” Mr Mawanda added.

Ssegirinya also requested that his body should spend a night at NUP office, as a sign of solidarity for his party, whose values he subscribed to.

Mawanda further mentioned that the late MP also requested to be taken to Mbogo Mosque, a prominent worship place in the constituency, for prayers.

He also asked to spend at least one night at his home in Kasangati before being taken to his ancestral home in Masaka for burial.

Ssegirinya additionally requested that Kyagulanyi be the only speaker at his vigil and that he should speak for five hours.

His personal assistant, Alex Luwembo, confirmed these details, explaining that the emphasis on a one-week mourning period was to allow his friends and relatives from abroad to return and pay tribute before he was laid to rest.

After the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, Mr Kyagulanyi, speaking on behalf of the family, announced the burial arrangements following a consensus with the family members who had presented Ssegirinya’s last requests.

Mr Kyagulanyi stated that the body of the late Ssegirinya would be laid to rest on Sunday at his ancestral home in Masaka District. He also mentioned that a vigil would be held at NUP offices yesterday to honour the late MP.

The body will be taken to Parliament today before proceeding to Mbogo Mosque in Kawempe for prayers. Afterwards, it would be transported to his home in Kasangati before making the journey to Masaka for burial on Sunday.

Originally, the burial was scheduled for Saturday, but due to the arrival of relatives from abroad that day, the date had to be shifted. Although Islamic tradition requires immediate burial, Ssegirinya's family was granted an exception.

His body was handed over to the family yesterday at around 4pm.

Initially, the hospital had declined to release the body to the awaiting ambulance from A.Plus Funeral Services until the medical bills were cleared.

Makindye East MP Allan Ssewanyana confirmed that Parliament had resolved the issue by settling the bills, allowing the body to be released.

Ssewanyana also mentioned that a committee had been formed to oversee the funeral arrangements, headed by Muwanga Kivumbi, with Ssewanyana serving as the deputy.

The committee was seen heading to Parliament yesterday to finalise the remaining details for the ceremonies.