January 13, 2025
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), has assured a transparent and democratic process to select a candidate who will carry forward the vision of the late Muhammad Ssegirinya, former Member of Parliament for Kawempe North. Ssegirinya passed away on January 8, 2025, and was buried at his ancestral home in Masaka on January 12.
Addressing mourners during the burial, Bobi Wine emphasized the importance of honoring Ssegirinya’s commitment to service. “We cannot fail to get a candidate who will fulfill Ssegirinya’s objectives, but I want to inform you that we shall follow our transparent process, and that process will be guided by the power of the people,” he declared.
Reiterating NUP’s foundational principle, he added, “We are people power, we were people power, and we shall remain people power.”
Bobi Wine reflected on the challenging decision to endorse Ssegirinya as the party’s flag bearer in 2021, acknowledging the competition from prominent candidates like Latif Ssebagala and Sulaiman Kidandala, a seasoned politician with a master’s degree. Despite skepticism about Ssegirinya’s qualifications, strong grassroots support and community alignment influenced the party’s decision. Bobi Wine shared that a professor from Makerere University and a reverend father advised backing Ssegirinya, underscoring the value of connecting with voters over academic credentials.