The leader of opposition political party National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, has for the first time spoken about the release of MPs MPs Allan Ssewanyana of Makindye West and Kawempe North’s Muhammad Ssegirinya from detention after more one and half years.
On Monday, the High Court in Masaka granted bail to the two lawmakers who are accused of masterminding Masaka murders. Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana belong to NUP.
The release on bail came on the backdrop of an unprecedented move in which the state which had earlier opposed the application by the two legislators opted to reverse the same.
Chief state attorney, Richard Birivumbuka told court on Monday morning that the DPP had issued a certificate of no objection to the bail application and subsequently asked that the three affidavits filed against the bail application be withdrawn.
The change of position on the part of government has since sparked allegations that some leaders of the party and in Parliament negotiated for the release of the duo. In fact, some people allege that the negotiations were spearhby the leader of opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga but without the blessing of the party headquarters.
The allegations coincided with the fact that Kyagulanyi and other top party leaders remained tight-lipped on the release of the pair.
But on Thursday, Bobi Wine broke the silence when he said, he is also hearing that there were negotiations leading to Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana’s release. He however says he was never part of such arrangements and neither did he sanction them.
“I do not know about any such negotiations, and if anyone took part in any negotiations to secure COURT BAIL for detainees, they did so without my knowledge or endorsement,” Kyagulanyi said in a statement on Thursday.
“Our position remains that we must not beg Gen. Museveni and his criminal regime to grant us our GOD GIVEN rights. The suggestion that one needs to negotiate with Museveni to get bail, which should be entirely a court process, is not only shameful but ridiculous.”
“Unfortunately, that is what our country has been reduced to! Impunity, lawlessness and disregard for institutions normalized,” he added.
Below is the full statement;
Greetings fellow Ugandans,
I have seen some people asking for my comment on the release of our comrades, Hon. Allan Ssewanyana and Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya.
- I am very happy that after such a long period of detention without trial, the two leaders are out of Kigo Prison on bail. I am very grateful to all leaders, lawyers and comrades who for the past one and a half years, have visited them in prison, attended court sessions, spoken out against their illegal detention, supported their families, prayed for them, etc.
- We have not yet spoken about this comprehensively because we have not yet had the opportunity to see or speak with the two MPs. Ordinarily, when our comrades are freed from illegal detention, we speak with them and that enables us to understand better the circumstances of their abduction or arrest, what happened to them in detention, the circumstances of their release, as well as the general state of their health. For now, their families have told us that they are still undergoing treatment. We shall be in position to speak out better after interacting with them.
- I have noted the insinuations that the two MPs were released after negotiations with Gen. Museveni and that they made some compromises and undertakings.
LET ME BE CATEGORICAL that I do not know about any such negotiations, and if anyone took part in any negotiations to secure COURT BAIL for detainees, they did so without my knowledge or endorsement.
Our position remains that we must not beg Gen. Museveni and his criminal regime to grant us our GOD GIVEN rights. The suggestion that one needs to negotiate with Museveni to get bail, which should be entirely a court process, is not only shameful but ridiculous. Unfortunately, that is what our country has been reduced to! Impunity, lawlessness and disregard for institutions normalised.
Secondly, negotiations involve give and take considerations. We have nothing to give to Museveni in exchange for our rights. The biggest thing Museveni would need in exchange is to stop fighting his regime of blood and shame and we are not about to stop doing that.
We hope that in the coming days, we shall be able to interact with the two MPs and guide the nation on the way forward.
FOR NOW the question the regime has failed to answer for all this time is, WHO KILLED THE PEOPLE OF MASAKA AND WHY?