Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya, is in critical condition with most of his organs failing, though doctors say he’s not officially dead. The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, clarified the situation on Thursday, countering earlier rumors of the MP’s death.
“The doctors said he’s brain dead. They said all his internal organs have shut down. But there’s that small pulse. The doctors said they cannot pronounce him dead because it’s ethically wrong. We ask Ugandans, especially his constituents in Kawempe North to pray for him,” Ssenyonyi said while addressing journalists at Rubaga Hospital, where Ssegirinya is admitted.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among also dismissed claims of his death during the morning plenary session. She told legislators that while his condition is critical, he’s still alive.
“Upon consultation with the doctors, they informed us that his organs have collapsed, but the heart is still on, so ethically, they cannot pronounce him dead,” the Speaker noted.
Sister Grace Nanyondo, Rubaga Hospital’s acting executive director, echoed similar sentiments. “He is critically sick. He needs our love and prayers. We cannot declare him dead. He’s critically sick.”
Ssegirinya’s story is one of resilience and controversy. Back in 2006, while still a Senior Three student at Pimba Secondary School in Kawempe North, he started calling into political radio talk shows, branding himself as “eddoboozi lye Kyebando” (the voice of Kyebando). Over time, his confidence grew, and he adopted the title “MP to be, Kawempe North.”
Few took him seriously at first due to his struggles with English, but he proved critics wrong. During the 2021 General Election, he beat Suleiman Kidandala to the NUP flag and went on to secure a resounding victory with 41,197 votes against Kidandala’s 7,512.
However, Ssegirinya’s time in Parliament has been marred by legal troubles. Alongside Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana, he was arrested in connection with machete killings in the greater Masaka region. Though they were granted bail in September 2021, the two were rearrested immediately and charged with fresh offenses linked to the murders in Lwengo District, where over 20 people lost their lives.
For the 18 months Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana spent on remand, whispers circulated that their arrests had less to do with the alleged crimes and more to do with internal politics involving powerful figures within the ruling NRM party.
Despite his health struggles, Ssegirinya recently expressed interest in contesting for another term in the 2026 general election—a sign that his fighting spirit hasn’t dimmed.
UPDATE: Ssegirinya Is Dead
