Man Who Set Himself on Fire Outside Parliament Dies

Agaba succumbed to his injuries at Kiruddu Hospital, where he had been fighting for his life since February 26, the day he doused himself in a flammable liquid and ignited his body outside the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on Parliamentary Avenue.

Benjamin Agaba, a devoted supporter of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), has died from the severe burns he sustained after setting himself on fire in protest.

Agaba succumbed to his injuries at Kiruddu Hospital, where he had been fighting for his life since February 26, the day he doused himself in a flammable liquid and ignited his body outside the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on Parliamentary Avenue.

His father, Benjamin Twinomusha, confirmed his son's death, speaking with grief and frustration.

“The NRM officials who promised to help us disappeared. I have been struggling alone, using whatever little I had to clear the medical bills,” he lamented.

Agaba’s final act was one of both desperation and heartbreak. Eyewitnesses recall his screams piercing the air as flames engulfed him—a fiery testament to his deep sense of betrayal by the party he had long supported. Security personnel and bystanders rushed to extinguish the flames, but the injuries were too extensive.

A resident of Gomba District, Agaba had dedicated himself to composing campaign songs for President Museveni, hoping for recognition and a modest reward of Shs3 million. That recognition never came.

One of his close friends, speaking anonymously, recalled Agaba’s unwavering faith in the NRM despite repeated disappointments.

“He only asked for 3 million for his work, but they refused. Now, they will send 5 million for his burial. This government is full of hypocrisy,” the friend remarked bitterly.

Even his family had warned him against blind political loyalty. His father had long tried to dissuade him from getting involved in politics, fearing that devotion to politicians often leads to heartbreak. In the end, those warnings proved tragically true.

Last week, Emmanuel Dombo, the NRM’s Director of Communication, admitted that Agaba may not have received the support he sought simply because he "did not meet the right people" at the secretariat.

He had assured that the party was “following up” and promised medical assistance. But that help came too late.

Now, Agaba is gone. His charred body, once filled with hope and belief, will soon be laid to rest. And in the end, the party he gave everything for will send money—not for his dreams, not for his medical care, but for a burial he should never have needed.