Ssegirinya petitions the court for the right to worship.

Muhammad Ssegirinya, a detained Kawempe North Member of Parliament, has petitioned the Masaka Magistrates Court to take action against prison officials who he claims are infringing his freedom to pray.

On Tuesday, Ssegirinya, who is on detention at Luzira’s Murchison Bay prison, appeared before Masaka Grade One Magistrate Grace Wakholi to discuss the murder accusations against him. He appeared with Allan Ssewanyana, his Makindwe West opponent, who is also charged with him.

The state accuses the two of murdering Joseph Bwanika, a former resident of Kisekka B village in Kissekka sub-county, Lwengo district, in August of this year. When given the opportunity to speak to the court about his condition, Ssegirinya expressed his dissatisfaction with being held in solitary confinement and not being able to pray.

He told the court that he is being held in the Luzira prisons under rigorous conditions, and that he is experiencing a great deal of emotional and spiritual hardship. Ssegirinya claims that, given his precarious health, he would like to find peace in praying with his fellow inmates, but, to his dismay, the prison officials have repeatedly ignored his appeals and instead labeled him a psychiatric patient without conducting any medical evaluation.

Ssegirinya further stated that, despite court orders to the jail authorities to give him with specialist medical care, he is still languishing in prison cells without the necessary medical attention. He urged with the magistrate to put the orders in writing to reaffirm the court’s judgment.

However, in his reaction, Masaka Chief Resident State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka rejected Ssegirinya’s claims, claiming that the MPs were granted private chambers due to their status. He also told the court that there are clear medical documents proving that both suspects have received specialist medical assistance as needed, including from outside jail facilities.

The MPs’ objections, Birivumbuka told the court, were a diversionary tactic designed to divert the state’s attention away from its investigations. He requested an extension of two weeks from the court to allow the state to complete the evidence gathering process that will lead to the suspects’ prosecution.

Grace Wakooli, the presiding magistrate, denied Ssegirinya’s request to formally write to prison authorities, claiming that she lacked the authority to do so. She did, however, issue a verbal warning to jails to stop abusing convicts’ human rights and ordered that the MPs be allowed to practice their faith.

Notably, the two opposition MPs were committed to Masaka High Court last month on allegations of terrorism, murder, abetting terrorism, and attempted murder, which they allegedly perpetrated in the districts of Lwengo, Masaka, and Kyotera between July and September this year.