Grief and gratitude intertwined as the mother of the late Muhammad Ssegirinya expressed appreciation for the leaders and supporters who stood by her family during his illness and subsequent send-off ceremony.
The late Member of Parliament for Kawempe North succumbed to a prolonged illness, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and dedication to his constituents.
In an emotional speech, Ssegirinya’s mother, Justine Ssanyu Nakajumba, praised Mathias Mpuuga, the commissioner of Parliament and MP for Nyendo-Mukungwe, for his unwavering support during her son’s struggle with illness.
“Honourable Mpuuga stood by me when my son was struggling with sickness. He helped me a lot during this challenging time,” she said.
The ceremony was not without challenges. The family initially faced difficulties accessing the Butale playground, the intended venue for Ssegirinya’s funeral prayers.
Despite this, Nakajumba made an earnest appeal to NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi to honor the family’s request to use the playground, emphasizing its importance to the family and the broader community.
“Mr President, please allow my son’s body to be prayed for at the playground. This is our family land, and the space here is too small for everyone to gather. We wanted the burial to reflect his love for the people,” she pleaded.
Nakajumba also expressed gratitude to Kyagulanyi for providing her son with the platform to serve as a Member of Parliament under the NUP party.
“I thank my son’s president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, for giving my son the NUP card that led him to Parliament because it has helped me a lot as his mother,” she said.
She further thanked Hon. Allan Ssewanyana, MP for Makindye West, for his support during Ssegirinya’s illness.
Despite the somber mood, the ceremony underscored the unity and solidarity within the NUP party and its supporters, even as disagreements emerged over the use of the Butale playground.
The late Muhammad Ssegirinya’s contributions to his constituents were celebrated as his family and the NUP fraternity bid him a heartfelt farewell.
He was later laid to rest in a ceremony marked by prayers, reflections, and tributes to a leader whose dedication to his people remains a source of inspiration.