Medard Lubega Sseggona has never been one to keep quiet when something feels wrong. A lawyer by training and a politician by conviction, he has spent most of his adult life walking a tightrope between power and principle in Uganda’s often tense political landscape.
Born on 1 September 1975, Sseggona grew up in Wakiso District, just outside Kampala. His early years were ordinary — village schools, long walks, and the kind of discipline common in rural Buganda homes. He attended Mayungwe Primary School, then Entebbe Parents Secondary School for O-Levels, and Caltec Academy Makerere for A-Levels.
By the time he joined Makerere University for a law degree in 1997, he already had a reputation among classmates for being outspoken. He completed his Bachelor of Laws in 2001 and earned his Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre a year later.
A Lawyer with a Cause
After university, Sseggona taught briefly at Makerere University Business School, before joining Lukwago & Co. Advocates — a law firm he later co-founded/managing partner with Erias Lukwago, now Kampala’s Lord Mayor. The firm became a magnet for political cases and human rights petitions.
In legal circles, Sseggona is known for his sharp cross-examinations and calm, deliberate courtroom style. But it’s his political cases that have made him a household name. When opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) was detained, it was Sseggona who helped secure his temporary freedom. For many Ugandans, that was their first glimpse of the lawyer who seemed unafraid to challenge authority.
Service to the Kabaka
Before stepping fully into national politics, Sseggona was part of the Buganda Kingdom’s cabinet at Mengo. From 2006 to 2010, he served as Minister for Information, Cabinet Affairs, and Lukiiko Spokesperson. In that role, he became one of the kingdom’s most public defenders — often appearing on radio to explain the Kabaka’s position on land and governance issues.
That loyalty to the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, is something Sseggona still carries with pride. But it also came with a price. In 2008, during a period of rising tension between the central government and Buganda Kingdom, Sseggona and other kingdom officials, including Betty Nambooze, were arrested and charged with sedition and inciting violence. The charges followed their criticism of a proposed land law which they believed threatened Buganda’s rights. The experience — a night of arrests, interrogations, and political heat — left a mark on him.
Stepping into Politics
Sseggona’s first entry into elective politics came in 2011, when he won the Busiro County East parliamentary seat on the Democratic Party (DP) ticket. In Parliament, he quickly made a name for himself as a sharp debater — articulate, often critical of the government, but measured. He was later appointed Shadow Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, a role that suited his background and temperament.
Over time, Uganda’s political landscape shifted. In 2020, as the National Unity Platform (NUP) rose under Bobi Wine’s leadership, Sseggona joined the new movement, aligning his legal activism with a younger, more defiant generation of opposition voices. He retained his seat in the 2021 general elections, representing NUP.
Clash with His Party
But in politics, loyalty is rarely simple. In September 2025, Sseggona was among several sitting MPs dropped by NUP in a reshuffle of its flag bearers ahead of the 2026 elections. The party instead endorsed local musician Mathias Walukaga for the Busiro East ticket.
A few days later, Sseggona announced he would run as an independent, saying he had “seen the signs” that some senior members were being sidelined. He told viewers on NBS TV’s Barometer program that he bore no grudge but felt the party had lost its internal balance. Still, he insisted he would continue to support Bobi Wine’s presidential bid — a statement that revealed both his pragmatism and restraint.
The decision sparked mixed reactions. Some praised his maturity; others saw it as a symptom of deeper divisions within Uganda’s opposition.
The Man Behind the Lawyer
Away from politics, Sseggona keeps his personal life private. He is married to Diana Lubega, and the couple has children. Friends describe him as quietly humorous, deeply family-oriented, and unfailingly loyal to those close to him.
If you walk into his office or home, you’ll notice three portraits: his mother, his wife, and the Kabaka. “Those are the people who remind me who I am,” he once said in an interview.
A Consistent Voice
Over the years, Sseggona has been jailed, criticized, and sidelined — but he has rarely been ignored. He’s not the loudest in Uganda’s opposition, but he’s one of the most respected for his consistency. To his supporters, he’s a symbol of persistence in a political system that doesn’t reward dissent easily. To his critics, he’s cautious to a fault.
Either way, Medard Lubega Sseggona remains what he has always been — a lawyer who won’t stop asking hard questions, even when the answers come at a cost.
