Dear Hon. Mathias Mpuuga

I write to you with both concern and bemusement. News has reached us that you intend to drag the invincible political gladiator H.E. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu into the same courtroom corridors where logic, law, and reality often part ways, over claims he made implicating you in the arrest of political activists.

Your courage is noted. Your trust in the justice system is admirable. But before you proceed to compile affidavits, procure witnesses, or dust off your black suit for court theatrics, allow me, as a humble spectator of Uganda’s political circus, to offer a word of unsolicited but necessary caution: I say this with all due respect: Are you really ready to sue Uganda’s most courtroom-immune politician?

You see, the man you seek to sue is not a common theatre actor. He is Bobi Wine, Uganda’s courtroom Houdini, a master of legal disappearance whose record is dotted with unfinished files, whispered adjournments, and ghosted magistrates. A man by all judicial standards known in Uganda, is untouchable even before he became a law graduate (Is it Cavendish University, I hope you know?)

You may file, serve, and shout, but when it comes to Bobi Wine, court files either vanish, stall eternally after mention, or close without ceremony. You’re not suing a man. You’re suing a myth, a well-polished illusion, a state-managed character who has built an entire political brand without a single concluded court case.

Allow me to refresh your memory: 1. The OTT Protest Arrest: (2018) He was arrested demonstrating in Kampala over the social media tax. Taken to court amid chants of “People Power!” The charge? Public nuisance. The outcome? Unknown. It was mentioned and abandoned like a script from a poorly edited movie.

2. Luuka District Arrest: (2020) Another dramatic moment during the 2020 campaign. Bobi was violently arrested for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulations. A case was filed, mentioned, and again disappeared into thin air.

3. The Arua Treason Case: (2019), his driver was killed, the country went up in flames, and Bobi, battered and bruised, was dramatically presented before a Gulu magistrate. It felt like the start of a landmark trial. But what followed? Nothing. No hearing. No ruling. No official closure. The state, which once screamed treason, simply went quiet. The case dissolved, not by acquittal, but by silence. We thereafter saw him under the guard of SFCS, later a party with deployed service men in position, foot soldiers relieved of duty to guard him henceforth.

4. The 2021 Presidential Petition: In a historic moment, Bobi Wine filed a petition challenging the presidential election, backed by video evidence, affidavits, and public outrage. But when Ugandans looked to the courts for justice, Bobi withdrew the petition, declaring instead that he would take the matter to “the people’s court”—a structureless, location-less body whose sittings are neither recorded nor reported. In essence, he gifted Museveni a five-year term without judicial scrutiny!.

5. The Kibalama/NUP Ownership Case: (2023) Founders of the very party he leads accused him of fraud and breach of agreement. They dragged him to court. What became of that case? Silence. The kind that erases history even Kibalama was totally silenced beyond a mention.

In contrast, consider Dr. Kizza Besigye, the man who pioneered active opposition. Since 2001, Besigye has never known peace in the legal system. From treason to terrorism to inciting violence, he is never more than a few weeks away from a court summons as if its part of his retirement plan. Some of his cases date as far back as 2006. He is often paraded through courts, not for justice, but for punishment.

The state seems more determined to break Besigye through perpetual court appearances than to ever conclude a single case against Bobi Wine! Maybe Bobi’s unblemished judicial record is not due to his invincibility, but to the invisible protection, Besigye lacks.

So, dear Hon. Mpuuga, do you really intend to sue this man? The man whose cases vanish faster than UPDF accountability? The man who can shift a national petition into a virtual Court with a single Facebook post? Note before you file the case that: You are filing against a man immune to court significance, else you are offering yourself for ridicule in a stage-managed game between the state and its favourite actor.

Instead, I advise you to consider filing your case directly in the Court of Public Confusion, where most of Bobi cases seem to end up anyway. Better still, take it direct to the ‘People’s Court’. Their Judgement delays, but it’s delivered over time…  baawula ekituufu ku kikyaamu… (They can tell a right from the wrong). Therefore, proceed with wisdom. And if you must sue, PREPARE FOR A PERFORMANCE NOT JUSTICE.

Yours in Political Amusement,
Kaweesa – Kaweesa

(Phd. Ugandan Political Theatricals)

In a statement released late Monday evening, Hon. Mpuuga addressed the controversy surrounding the absence of communication regarding Hon. Ssegirinya’s health condition. He acknowledged being made aware of the situation through social media comments and expressed his disappointment at the lack of formal notification from the ailing MP.

“My attention has been drawn to social media comments relating to the condition of our colleague, Hon. Mohammed Ssegirinya of Kawempe North, who’s currently indisposed and receiving treatment in the Netherlands,” Hon. Mpuuga’s statement read. “I learned of his condition last week, on Tuesday, Aug 15, 2023, and the office promptly reached out to him. It was established that he traveled without any notification to the LOP’s office and the NUP party headquarters.”

The statement further revealed that Hon. Mpuuga had communicated this matter to the National Unity Platform (NUP), including its President, Bobi Wine. The Leader of Opposition emphasized that proper parliamentary procedures should have been followed and that the office has been actively involved to ensure that Hon. Ssegirinya is supported through appropriate channels.

Fellow MP Hon. Mohammed Nsereko confirmed that he had personally spoken to Hon. Ssegirinya, who revealed he was battling skin cancer and lung infection-related complications. The news has ignited debates about transparency and accountability among the political community, with concerns raised about the manner in which such health issues are communicated.

In a related development, Chris Obore, the parliament spokesperson, corroborated the assertion that Hon. Ssegirinya had not adhered to official parliamentary procedure by failing to inform the medical board prior to seeking medical treatment abroad. The absence of proper notification has fueled tensions and raised questions about the responsibilities of elected officials to communicate their health status effectively.

It is worth noting that both Hon. Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana, the Makindye West MP, were remanded on multiple charges, including attempted murder, murder, and terrorism, back in September 2021. After nearly 16 months on remand, they were granted bail by the Masaka High Court Resident Judge, Lawrence Tweyanze, due to health reasons.

Since their release, the two MPs have been largely absent from parliamentary proceedings, except for a brief appearance after their incarceration. The revelation of Hon. Ssegirinya’s deteriorating health condition underscores the seriousness of the situation and calls for immediate parliamentary intervention.

The saga surrounding Hon. Ssegirinya’s health serves as a reminder that the well-being of elected representatives is a matter of public concern, necessitating transparency and adherence to proper protocols. As the controversy unfolds, the nation watches closely to see how the situation will be addressed and whether adequate measures will be taken to safeguard the health of the ailing MP.