The President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Bobi Wine, has clarified that Kawempe North Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya, has not been officially declared dead by doctors despite earlier reports.
"CLARIFICATION: According to the doctors, Hon. Ssegirinya MUHAMMAD is brain dead, most of his organs have shut down but he is not yet declared dead. When the mother was told that, she immediately announced his passing. Our teams are on ground monitoring the situation, as we all PRAY FOR A MIRACLE," Wine posted on X, quoting his earlier statement mourning the MP's passing.
Initial reports stated that Muhammad Ssegirinya had been pronounced dead on the morning of Thursday, January 9, at the age of 37. He had been battling cancer and other undisclosed illnesses for some time.
Ssegirinya rose to prominence in 2021 when he contested and won the Kawempe North parliamentary seat under the NUP ticket. He defeated nine opponents, including the incumbent Abdulatif Ssebagala Ssengendo and former Deputy Lord Mayor Sulaiman Kidandala. Although his victory faced legal challenges from Sulaiman Kidandala, the case was dismissed, affirming Ssegirinya as the rightful winner.
His political career was marked by persistence. After losing the Kawempe North seat in 2011 and failing to secure a nomination during the 2016 Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) primaries, he became a councillor representing Kawempe North at Kampala Capital City Authority.
In September 2021, Ssegirinya faced significant legal challenges. He was summoned by the Uganda Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department over alleged involvement in rebel activities in the Greater Masaka region. Shortly after, he was charged with three counts of murder and one of attempted murder and remanded to Kitalya Maximum Security Prison.
After spending over a year in detention, he was released on bail on 13 February 2023. As the situation remains uncertain, Bobi Wine and the NUP have urged the public to remain hopeful and pray for Ssegirinya’s recovery.