By Rashidah Nakaayi
Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago saw his efforts to secure justice for legislators Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya washed away when the pair were remanded to Katalye Prison over their links with machete wielding killers in Greater Masaka.
Police named legislators Ssewanyana, Makindye West and Ssegirinya Kawempe North having a hand in the operations of the machete wielding killers in Greater Masaka where over 30 people have died.
Lord Mayor and the two MPs were summoned to Masaka City to record statements with detectives but handed bonds.
Ssewanyana and Ssegirinya who were in the company of Lukwago, Kampala woman MP and lawyer Shamim Malende, Mityana woman MP Joyce Bagala and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake returned to Kampala in jubilation.
However, Tuesday saw events change with the State taking the matter to the High Court in Kampala where the two were arraigned. The pair did not disappoint court by presenting themselves with their lawyers and friends.
The Masaka Magistrates Court later on charged with four counts, with three being of murder and one of attempted murder.
According to the prosecution which was led by Richard Birivumbuka, Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana hosted a series of planning meetings at Kayanja Rest House and Happy Boys in Kampala where they planned the killings.
Birivumbuka said that the two MPs participated in the murder of Michael Nawa, Sulaiman Kakooza and Tadeo Kiyimba of Kimanya Kabonera village in August 2021.
The pair were then remanded to Kitalya Prisons until the 15th of this month.
The decision left Lord Mayor Lukwago in total rage, slaming: “I don’t have anybody’s blood on my hands, and neither do other opposition politicians.”
He ranted: “Are you trying to suggest that these members … opposition MPs are vampires, blood suckers? These are savages, it is terrible, baffling, of all people Segirinya, Ssewanyana. Honestly, probably if you had talked about rebel groups, but politicians like Segirinya.”
Lord Mayor went on: “Do you think sewanyana can perpetuate such innous crimes for purposes of advancing a political agenda? Honestly, do you believe in that crap?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX51f23QVM8
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
