Politicians in Uganda have turned funeral ceremonies of prominent individuals into platforms for political agendas and cheap popularity.
This trend has been seen as a deviation from the culturally known norms of offering comfort and sympathy to the bereaved during the burial ceremonies.
Recently, on Sunday, 12, 2024, an incident occurred at the burial of Hon. Ssegirinya Muhammad, where members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), led by party president Robert Kyagulanyi, Secretary-General David Lewis Rubongoya, and Leader of Opposition (LOP) Joel Ssenyonyi, politicized the event.
Instead of focusing on mourning their late colleague, the leaders repeatedly made statements that some attendees described as provocative and inappropriate for a funeral setting.
The scuffle and controversy erupted when NUP supporters, eyewitnesses say acting on directives from party officials, prevented the body of the late MP Ssegirinya from being transported to the official burial site designated by the Parliament of Uganda.
This led to heightened tensions that could have resulted in confrontations with law enforcement.
Police had to intervene to maintain order, a move that averted potential chaos with the Mpuga Mathias group that was acting on behalf of parliament.
This chaos resulted in family members, including Ssegirinya’s brother John Bosco Kasagga and his mother, expressing disappointment at the turn of events. According to Kasagga, an earlier agreement had been made with NUP officials to ensure a dignified and unified burial ceremony befitting the late legislator.
However, the family’s wishes were overshadowed by what they described as troublesome hooliganism and false statements being said by NUP supporters.
“I condemn discussions about who will replace my late brother at this time. Instead, let us focus on giving him the honorable burial he deserves,” Kasagga said, urging all attendees to respect the sendoff ceremony of the brother.
Also, the incident reflects a broader issue in Uganda, where funerals of public figures are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for political statements and witch hunts rather than moments of communal grieving and unity at such a time when comforting the aggrieved is needed most.
Muhammad Nsereko, a member of Parliament for Kampala Central Constituency, also on his social media handle, condemned such acts and argued that such behaviors not only disrupt the grieving process for families but also undermine the cultural, religious, and moral expectations surrounding a burial, hence calling for clear guidelines to preserve the dignity of funerals and keep them free from political interference.
