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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Deputy Speaker Anita Among has told legislators that the Parliament leadership is working on having Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya, receive better treatment outside Murchison Bay prison, Luzira.
In her communication to legislators on Thursday, Among confirmed that MP Ssegirinya was at Murchison Bay hospital undergoing treatment, and that Parliament is working out a way to have him get better treatment if he is referred.
“And we are going to work together with government in that regard to make sure that he gets better treatment, there shouldn’t be a cause for alarm…we will support our person,” she said.
Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition who paid the ailing MP a visit on Thursday noted that Ssegirinya was not well and he implored the state to consider having the legislator get appropriate treatment even though it has the right to arrest and prosecute.
He added that although the health workers at the prison health facility are doing their best professionally, there are limitations for which assistance is needed.
“They need to be assisted to make sure that a job of a professional nature is undertaken to recover the member…that other issues are handled when his health condition is properly addressed,” Mpuuga said.
Among reassured the House that the MP is being treated well.
MP Muhammad Ssegirinya and his Makindye West counterpart Allan Ssewanyana, are facing several charges including murder, attempted murder, aiding and abetting terrorism. They were on Monday denied bail by Masaka High Court Judge Lawrence Tweyanze, saying that their release would jeopardize investigations since they are currently under trial.
Tweyanze said that the MPs are public figures and have capacity to influence and interfere with investigations, including absconding from bail. He also said that their lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago failed to prove that the MPs were ill and that the first charges where the two legislators had been granted bail for were different from the case before him.
MPs Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana are accused of masterminding the recent machete killings in Masaka sub-region. Masaka High Court recently granted them bail but they were re-arrested, charged afresh and remanded to Kigo prison.
Murder is a capital offence and it attracts a maximum punishment of death by hanging when convicted according to the Penal Code Act.
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