Ssebaana Never Let the Guard Down, Says DP Spokesperson by Andrew Ssenyonga Tribute to the Fallen Former and a Leader with No Mean Young People in Leadership
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TRIBUTE NEW VISION, Wednesday, July 5, 2017 7 Ssebaana never let the guard down, says DP spokesperson By Andrew Ssenyonga tribute to the fallen former and a leader with no mean young people in leadership. burial in memory of his and Brenda Abeine party president. accomplishment. “As the patron for the historical contribution to the Kakande delivered the “We join the country to Uganda Young Democrats; country,” Kakande said. The Democratic Party (DP) party’s eulogies during their mourn a hero, statesman, this saw him preside over the Ssebaana served as a member has pledged to maintain the weekly press briefing at the patriot and a man who has peaceful transition of the party of the East African Legislative principles cherished by the party headquarters in Kampala faced the storm throughout his leadership from those born Assembly, Member of late Ssebaana Kizito as part of yesterday. life to fight for the truth and before independence to those Parliament, acting leader of the the party’s guiding principles Ssebaana, a former cabinet justice without wavering,” he born post-independence,” he Opposition, Cabinet minister in the long struggle to bring minister, mayor of Kampala said. said. and mayor of Kampala. Kakande change to mother Uganda. and leading businessman, died Kakande explained Kakande remembered He once served as the The party’s publicity at Nakasero Hospital at the age that Ssebaana fought for Ssebaana as a person president general of DP and secretary, Kenneth Kakande, of 83 on Monday. He had been independence when Uganda who served his kingdom also contested as president of church service and a wake in said Uganda has lost a admitted to Nakasero Hospital was heaving under the boot of with a distinction and as a Uganda in the 2006 general Kansanga. representation of a principled a fortnight ago in critical colonialism and its attendant businessman, he inspired elections. On Friday, there will be nationalist, who has always condition following a stroke. injustices. many with the belief in the “Precisely these and other a requiem mass, led by the refused to be swayed by ‘alms Kakande added that DP shall “He chose a stormy path, power of indigenous peoples in grounds are the basis for the Archbishop of Kampala Dr. en grandeur’ offered by those not forget Ssebaana’s struggle hard and trying with many incubating their own business official burial,” Kakande said. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga at with awkward ideologies. to create a compassionate challenges to fight for truth ideas. Statewide Insurance Company “He believed in a “people- society big enough for all and and justice. He held the banner Burial arrangements at Sure House on Bombo Road, centered” ideology and fought his service beyond self. of truth and justice all his life Official burial On Thursday, Ssebaana’s body then service at Namirembe for the underprivileged in He described the deceased and has died without lowering The former DP president will will be taken to City Hall, Cathedral, before the body is society that has continued to as a personality with an iconic his guard,” he said. be accorded an official burial where Kampala Capital City taken to Mpande, Kalule in elude our national leadership legacy; a business icon, an icon Kakande further described by the Government. Authority will pay tribute, after Luwero district. establishment. We have lost in the political sphere, sports Ssebaana as a mentor, who “The Government has which it will go to Parliament. Burial will be held on a giant,” he said while paying management, corporate world groomed and nurtured many granted Ssebaana an official This will be followed by a Saturday. Rift in Democratic Party flares up at Ssebaana wake By Ashraf Kasirye The bitter rift in the country’s oldest BETWEEN THE LINES political party, the Democratic Party n The aggrieved people are (DP) again flared up during the wake furious about Lukwago’s actions at John Ssebaana Kizito’s home in in the 2016 general election, Kansanga on Monday night. when he is said to have fronted At around 9:30pm, the Kampala TJ candidates against DP-flag Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, arrived bearers candidates. at Ssebaana’s home, where he was welcomed by fellow leaders like the chairperson of the burial organising their anger at a funeral that is why committee who is also MP Busiro we asked the Police to handle them,” East, Medard Sseggona Lubega. Muwonge said. However, a group of women started During the last election, Lukwago shouting at the top of their voices, stood as an independent under a asking Lukwago to leave DP matters group called Truth and Justice. The to DP members. group which included a number of DP members backed candidates standing Women attack Lukwago against the official DP flag-bearers. Lukwago kept silent and went ahead However, Sseggona said the scuffle to greet the mourners. However, this caused by the anti-Lukwago group did not stop the women intensifying was a minor internal party conflict their attack on him until another that will be dealt with after the burial. group of men and women rose up and Lukwago quietly sat with other DP fired back at the attackers, defending leaders in a small group and paid Lukwago’s presence at the wake. no attention to the women who were The fight degenerated into a scuffle, attacking him, and an hour later, he prompting the Makindye Mayor, left. Muhammad Mulyanyama, to order DP members scuffle with one another during the vigil in Kansanga. Photo by Ashraf Kasirye “I pray that God rewards Ssebaana Police and some DP youth to take the for the great role he played in women away. developing his country. Besides the Two women were forcibly carried out great legacy, he has also left behind of the deceased’s home by the Police. WHAT THE OTHER MOURNERS SAY many leadership challenges in the They included former DP flag-bearer party he subscribed to over the years Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Israel Mayengo, former MP for Makindye LC5 councillor Nuriat and veteran politician and the role of putting things right Sowedi and former DP flag-bearer for Kyadondo East MP-elect is ours the remaining DP leaders,” Ssebaana was a leader but to I was with Ssebaana in Parliament Rubaga North LC5 councillor Jane from 1989 to 1996; I was Lukwago told New Vision in an Nayiga. me. I had a personal friendship interview. because he was a great representing Ssese Islands as he During the scuffle, Nayiga represented Kampala East. We had The party’s national organising repeatedly charged: “Lukwago is a friend to my father, the late secretary, Sulaiman Kidandala, said Joseph Walakira. They were two principles; federalism and the hypocrite who does not deserve to belief in business as the hope for the woman who led the group that attend the funeral service of an honest together in the Democratic attacked Lukwago is notorious for Party as young men, he the development of this nation. As a DP leader. He has to leave this place.” former minister of housing and urban fuelling conflicts and the party will Sowedi, who tried to attack Lukwago, kept on nurturing us, which soon take action against her. compelled me to support him when he stood development, I attribute to him the achievement of was whisked away and handed over to changing Namuwongo from a slum to an urban area. “During the late Mathias Nsubuga’s Police, but continued shouting: “That for mayorship in Kampala. funeral, she attacked me and abused man should only attend funerals of TJ me the entire night. She wanted to (Truth and Justice) members, because do the same to Lukwago. We all have he ceased being part of the DP family Muwonge from Lwengo explained election, when he decided to front “This resulted in losses for most differences but that is not the way we the moment he chose to fight the to New Vision that all the aggrieved parallel TJ candidates against DP of them, and they vowed to fight express them. That is indiscipline and party leadership.” women and men, are furious about candidates who were voted for in the Lukwago wherever they meet him. we intend to handle her under the One of the party delegates Issa Lukwago’s actions in the 2016 general party primaries as flag-bearers. However, it was wrong to express party constitution,” Kidandala said..