Kawempe North Member of Parliament, Mr. Muhammed Ssegirinya, has left a hospital in the Netherlands.
Mr. Ssegirinya arrived back in Uganda on Tuesday, September 19, via Ethiopian Airlines. His supporters and friends welcomed him at Entebbe International Airport.
He had been receiving medical care at the Universal Medical Hospital in Amsterdam, Netherlands, due to reported lung complications.
When addressing the media, Mr. Ssegirinya stated, “I am finally back on my feet. I have been battling lung diseases, hypertension, skin cancer, and more. Today, I have been discharged, although I remain an outpatient as I am supposed to return to the hospital on October 10, 2023.”
He also mentioned that he plans to resume his duties as a lawmaker due to the demands of his constituency. He noted that since his election as the legislator for Kawempe North, he had served his people for only two months.
Mr. Ssegirinya traced the origin of his illness back to Kigo government prison, where he had been held for over a year on murder charges related to deadly attacks in the Masaka Sub Region. He was released on bail in February but has since undergone treatment in various facilities in Uganda, Kenya, and the Netherlands.
He expressed gratitude to the National Unity Platform (NUP) party leadership for their support throughout his medical journey.
Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya has been discharged from a hospital in the Netherlands after about a month and a half of treatment.
The MP was released from Amsterdam UMC Hospital on Friday, September 15.
“Finally, I’m out,” announced the legislator, thanking his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), and its Amsterdam Chapter for taking care of him.
Over the past few weeks, the legislator reported significant improvement in his health.
Mr. Ssegirinya was flown out of the country at the beginning of last month after being diagnosed with various complications, including lung tumors. He was initially admitted to a hospital in Germany before being referred to the Dutch hospital.
He revealed from his hospital bed that he was being treated for skin cancer and several liver complications.
In mid-August, Hon Ssegirinya expressed concerns about being abandoned by his party and Parliament as his hospital bill increased. Fellow legislator Muhammad Ssegirinya of Kampala Central initiated a fundraising campaign to cover the bill, which caused tension with the NUP leadership.
Later, both the opposition party and Parliament announced plans to assist with the medical expenses. They asserted that Ssegirinya had not followed the necessary procedures to ensure that the government covered his treatment abroad.
Mr. Ssegirinya said the Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra (UMC) Hospital, Netherlands, where he received treatment since August 10, offered him the option of cleaning the hospital or washing its bed sheets if he couldn’t afford the bill.
The hospital’s resident internal medicine officer, Mr. SJ Bogers, stated that Mr. Ssegirinya would continue as their patient for at least another three weeks.
Mr. Ssegirinya accused Parliament of abandoning him, claiming it had not provided financial support for his treatment. He argued that Parliament was supposed to cover his medical bills as per the Medical Insurance Scheme Guidelines for Members of Parliament.
He said Parliament had only purchased an air ticket to Nairobi for him and had not covered any other medical expenses.