Temporary relief as Ssegirinya, Ssewanyana are granted bail

National Unity Platform Members of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) and Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye East) who have been on remand since September 2021 have been granted bail by Masaka High Court.

The bail for the two legislators who have spent 16 months in jail came, according to Masaka Senior state attorney, Richard Birivumbuka, after the DPP issued a certificate of no objection to the bail application.

Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana, who are strong critic of the regime, are accused of being behind the wave of killings by machete-wielding gangs in the Greater Masaka area, allegations they deny.

The sureties for Ssewanyana included Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga (Kalungu West MP) and Moses Kasibante (former Rubaga North MP) while Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja and Bagonza Thomas (Kawempe Division Councilor) stood for Mr Ssegirinya.

Birivumbuka said the state also was pleased to retract the affidavits sworn by Thomas Jatiko, Jenifer Amumpaire and detective SP Innocent Mubangizi that had been tendered in court on January 23, 2023.

The MPs, while appearing before Justice Lawrence Tweyanze, were given a cash bail of Shs20m each while their sureties were bonded at Shs 50m non-cash.

Earlier this month, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo warned the State and defence lawyers not to employ any delaying tactics when the trial of Ssewanyana Ssegirinya commenced.

“I want to announce that in this quarter, the trial of the Members of Parliament will begin. Let me again be clear,  let me say this to the State, you are the one who brought these accused persons to court, you made allegations against them and the law says they are innocent until proven guilty.

When the trial begins and it will be soon, there will be no dilly-dallying, there will be no games,” Chief Justice Dollo said during the opening of the new law year 2023 in Kampala on Friday.