MPs Ssewanyana, Ssegirinya remanded over Masaka murders

Two opposition MPs, Muhammad Ssegirinya(Kawempe North) and Allan Ssewanyana have been arraigned in court and charged with four counts related to the killings in greater Masaka region.

The two MPs who were last week summoned to record statements over the murders were on Tuesday afternoon arrested and detained at Masaka Police Station.

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.

Chief Magistrate Charles Yeteise remanded both MPs to Kitalya. They will be expected to return in court on September 15, 2021.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said on Monday that the two MPs were summoned after some of the suspects connected them to planning the murders in meetings held in Ndeeba, a Kampala suburb.

Over 30 people have so far been killed by machete welding gangs in Masaka in a period of one month.

The intentions of the killers remain scanty, as they target elderly sections of the population.

Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana now join 23 other suspects who have so far been arrested in connection with the Masaka killings.

According to Enanga, 11 of the suspects have already appeared in courts of law, whereas the others are pending court appearance.

Before the police summons, MP Ssegirinya has been in the news for his efforts to transform his Kawempe North constituency by spearheading construction of a hospital, food aid for the vulnerable and an ambulance to rush the needy to health care centres.