Nakaseke South MP, Paulson Luttamaguzi Ssemakula has said he was not taken aback by the dramatic events that unfolded during the funeral for legislator Muhammad Ssegirinya.
Ssegirinya, the former MP for Kawempe North, passed away last week and was laid to rest in Butale, Masaka, on Sunday, in attendance of thousands of mourners.
Ssegirinya's send-off was marked by tensions between two factions- the National Unity Platform (NUP)led by its president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, and the other by Mathias Mpuuga, a member-turned-rival.
The two groups organised separate farewell ceremonies just a kilometer apart, sparking public debate.
This division has raised questions about why Kyagulanyi and Mpuuga could not put aside their political differences to provide a united and peaceful farewell for Ssegirinya.
Appearing on Sanyuka Television, Luttamaguzi claimed that Mpuuga is a messenger funded by President Museveni's regime to undermine NUP, noting that it was unsurprising that he did not cross paths with Kyagulanyi at the funeral.
"Do you think God would face eye to eye with satan? Would you ask God to face Satan eye to eye?" Luttamaguzi posed.
Ssegirinya's funeral was filled with drama as the NUP faction thwarted Mpuuga's attempts to transport the deceased's body to Butale Playground, which was a kilometer from Ssegirinya's ancestral home.
Mpuuga and Ssegirinya's family had requested that the body be taken to the playground, citing its ability to accommodate a larger number of mourners.
However, the NUP faction, reportedly acting on Kyagulanyi's orders, rejected the family's request, claiming that Mpuuga was being used by the government to politicise the funeral.
Luttamaguzi praised the NUP group for foiling Mpuuga's plans, asserting that they demonstrated their commitment to the "power of the people."
"Those were dedicated supporters taking charge and protecting what they call People Power. Do you truly understand what it means to be in control?" Luttamaguzi asked.
"What you witnessed was People Power. Even Mpuuga 'Maguire' couldn't make it there. I believe he followed the funeral on his phone. How can a representative fear his own constituents? This is a different revolution," he added.
Despite the criticism directed at NUP regarding the funeral's events, Luttamaguzi maintained that the party and its members honoured Ssegirinya with dignity.
He contended that those criticising NUP for the occurrences in Masaka are being paid by the regime to damage the opposition party's reputation.
"Some of the individuals commenting on yesterday's events are part of the regime. You might have expected to see a lot of chaos, but that didn’t happen—except for the incident where people refused to take the body to Mpuuga’s tent," Luttamaguzi concluded.
