Kawempe Councillor Muhammad Ssegirinya has insisted he will not withdraw from the Kawempe North parliamentary contest for incumbent Latif Sengendo Ssebagala.
MP for the constituency for 20 years, Ssebagala used his brother and former Kampala mayor Nasser Ntege Sebaggala’s burial to announce he would seek reelection for another term.
He would stand as an independent candidate, he told mourners in Kisaasi, Kampala on October 04.
His party National Unity Platform (NUP) had already picked Ssegirinya as its flag bearer.
On October 06, he revealed he was interested in representing the people of Kawempe North for 10 more years.
He would want to leave Parliament in 2030, he told NBS Barometer, a show on which his rival Ssegirinya was a guest.
On the same show, Ssebagala received support from Mukono Municipality MP Betty Bakireke Nambooze.
Nambooze used US House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco, California’s 12th District, in Congress for 31 years, to show why Ssegirinya should let Ssebagala keep in Parliament.
She explained why seniority was required in Parliament as in other institutions, just like it was needed in the struggle against President Yoweri Museveni’s rule.
Ssebagala told Ssegirinya he should wait for 10 years to allow him complete the tasks he has begun.
“We need senior legislators like me to raise serious issues in Parliament. For example, I have pushed for the adoption of Islamic Banking, an issue that requires seniority. We have laid the foundation, we should not lose the chance to complete what we have begun,” he said.
“Therefore, people like Ssegiriya need to wait a little bit. Parliament is not going away tomorrow, they should wait.”
He further claimed he had planned not to stand again in Kawempe North but he could not ignore the pleas of his people.
SSEGIRINYA FUMES
When it was his turn to speak, a devastated Ssegirinya made it clear he would not stand down for Ssebagala nor would he reconsider a Councillor position run.
“I asked the people of Kawempe for only one term. I will not become inconsistent like my brother Latif,” he said.
Ssegirinya also expressed disappointment in MPs Nambooze and Ssebagala for opposing Museveni’s overstay in power yet they wanted to remain legislators.
“I now fully understand that some politicians are fighting for positions and not for change in Uganda. It is sad that one comes here and says they will leave Parliament in 2030, yet continue to demonise Museveni for refusing to hand over power,” he said.
“I am disappointed that opposition MPs are here defending each other and justifying their refusal to leave parliamentary seats for new politicians.”
He praised Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine for forming a platform that has helped expose selfish politicians.
