Mr Update Ssegirinya Muhammad is again at it with his people after a 42 day lockdown was imposed by President Yoweri Museveni.
Mr Update Ssegirinya Muhammad popularly known as Mr Update has taken it upon himself to feed and hospitalize his people.
Mr Update Ssegirinya is known for his ‘be well’ activities which date as far back as his days as a councillor, fighting for the poor man and woman.
He once walked with a TV on his head when UCC was migrating from analogue to digital. His argument was that the fees being targeted where going to lock the poor out of the luxury of watching TV.
President Yoweri Museveni announced some money to be wired to the phones of vulnerable people in the urban areas while announcing the lockdown.
Mr Update Ssegirinya represents a great deal of the people the President was referring to. His constituency in Kawempe North harbours one of the city’s biggest numbers of the vulnerable people.
The President’s project handed to the docket of the Prime Minister, has kicked off but according to people like Mr Update Ssegirinya, it may not serve all his peoples’ needs. People need food and health care. And he has gone for both.
Mr. Update was faced with the pressure of people and their daily needs, since many live on pocket to mouth. He decided to keep his people waiting for Prime Minister Robinah Nabaja’s money.
The youthful Ssegirinya who scored highly in the elections, started mobilising resources within his reach and among friends to feed his people during the lockdown.
On why he gets out of his comfort zone to reach out to his people, he revealed: “Give the world the best you have. The Best will come back for you.”
Many MPs have resorted to media to pressurize government to live up to their promise. MPs like Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Ssewungu, Muhammad Nsereko, Betty Nambooze, Asuman Basalirwa have been utilizing their opportunities on the different media to push for the money.
Debate on who or how the money is supposed to reach to the beneficiaries has dragged on in Parliament with not so coming out of it.
Ssegirinya’s activities in his constituency have now piled pressure on several MPs whose people are referring to the little man from Kawempe.
Francis Zzaake, Mityana Municipality MP has borrowed a leaf from his colleague to help his people. The National Unity Platform leaning MP assembled matooke and rice as a package for his people to pick and feed their families.
The debate about the roles of an MP have been rife among the population and Parliament. However, the precedence set by our fathers leaves an MP without choice but to improvise during difficult times.
MPs are expected to attend most of their constituent’s functions – weddings, burials and meetings. And these functions come at a cost with sizeable contributions expected for the honourable politicians.
President Museveni while address NRM MPs asked them to desist from petty functions and resort to improving peoples’ lives throw encouraging them on wealth creation activities.
Ssegirinya’s works date as far as the times he was a councillor, where he was known for fighting for peoples’ lives and livelihoods.
If he feels the powers be haven’t listened and helped his cause, he will go it all by himself and his people to have it done.
Ssegirinya has pushed for a mini hospital in his Kawempe North constituency to serve his people during the tough times of Covid-19. He did not stop just an ambulance but provided a second one. Along with his people, they have successfully achieved their dream.
Several people on his social media platforms and friends in the western world have come good on financial and moral support.
People who he doesn’t agree with politically have openly come out to help him in his fight to improve the common person’s life.
Media personality Arinaitwe Ruggyendo is one of those people who have shown love and support to Ssegirinya for his endeavours.
Charles Denzel Mwiyeretsi @DenzelUG tweeted in support of the MP after sharing pictures of Pick Up vehicles meant for districts: “If only @HonSsegirinyaMu had been allocated these funds …”
When the call for more oxygen was required at the facility, he mobilised: “Due to increased covid 19 cases … we have decided to stock enough oxygen cylinders.”
He has received money and equipment to help run the hospital. He confirmed an MRI Scan for the hospital: “She is called Marie Adams…A daughter to the mayor of Amsterdam….She decided to donate MRI scan to Kawempe North Hospital.”
On the big day of Eid, he shared food with some of his colleagues. “Today I managed to give Eid package 10 families of our comrades who have been detained at Kitalya Prison.”
The Kawempe North MP leaves his colleagues without a choice but to lobby for services from government for their people or take them on with partners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUW9OxHLKck
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
