MP Ssegirinya discharged from Aga Khan Hospital
The Member of Parliament for Kawempe North, Muhammad Ssegirinya who has been receiving treatment at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi for the past six months, has been discharged.
In a video shared on x (formerly Twitter), the ailing legislator expressed his gratitude for being able to return home.
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However, it was evident that the MP appeared weak and had difficulty speaking clearly.
"I have been discharged, and I am heading home. To my constituents, I assure you that everything is in order, and I am on my way back," he stated.
According to Alex Luwemba, Ssegirinya's Personal Assistant, the doctors have advised the MP to take three months of bed rest under medical supervision before resuming any work-related activities.
"I want to inform Ugandans that Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya has been discharged from Aga Khan Hospital after spending 186 days there. God is great," Luwemba announced.
Mr. Ssegirinya was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital six months ago after being transferred from the Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra in the Netherlands, where he had received treatment.
Ssegirinya returned from the Netherlands in September after undergoing treatment for skin cancer and lung infections.
During his time abroad, he criticized Parliament for not providing him with assistance and questioned why others had received support while he had not.
"While we do have insurance through Parliament, it only covers treatment within Uganda, not abroad," Ssegirinya explained during his stay in the Netherlands.
He also mentioned that his medical bill had reached shs80 million and that it would take two more months before he could be admitted to the hospital.
Ssegirinya's health has been a concern since his release from prison earlier this year, following charges of murder, attempted murder, and aiding and abetting terrorism related to the killings in Masaka and Lwengo districts in 2021.
In the area, unknown assailants wielding machetes had claimed the lives of 20 people.
According to Luwemba, Ssegirinya has shown significant improvement in his condition. He can now speak, eat and walk
The legislator, along with Jackson Kanyike, John Mugerwa, Bull Wamala, and Mike Sserwadda, is facing charges of terrorism, murder, and attempted murder in connection with the machete killings in the greater Masaka District in 2021.
The court session, which was intended to provide an update on Ssegirinya's health condition and determine if lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima, representing one of the accused persons, Mike Serwadda, had filed an application seeking to dismiss the charges against his client on the grounds of torture, was postponed due to the absence of Pre-trial Judge Alice Komuhangi Khauka.
Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana have two separate cases arising from the machete killings, with another murder case pending before the Masaka High Court.
In February 2023, they petitioned the Constitutional Court, alleging an abuse of court process and political persecution due to their separate trials in different courts.
They seek the dismissal of the charges against them, citing inconsistencies and contraventions of the Constitution by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Despite being out on bail, they maintain their innocence and express concerns about potential injustices arising from being tried on charges stemming from similar facts and transactions.
