Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has refuted claims that the house has deliberately refused to cover Kawempe North MP Muhammed Ssegirinya’s treatment abroad.
During Tuesday’s plenary session, Tayebwa clarified that the medical board responsible for authorizing such payments had not yet received any application from Ssegirinya regarding his medical condition.
He further explained that neither the Speaker nor the Office of the Clerk had received any formal communication from Ssegirinya seeking assistance.
Tayebwa, however, said that due to Ssegirinya’s current health condition, he might not be able to submit the necessary application himself. He urged anyone with access to Ssegirinya’s medical documents, particularly his relatives, to come forward so that the documents could be presented to the medical board.
Ssegirinya is currently receiving medical treatment at the Amsterdam Universitair Medische Center (UMC) hospital in the Netherlands, where he has been hospitalized since August 10.
On Monday, Ssegirinya confirmed that his political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), led by party president Robert Kyagulanyi and Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga, assured him that they would cover his medical expenses. This was after reports made rounds that he was unable to cover the accumulating medical bills, which had reached Shs80 million.
The situation prompted debates and criticisms, with some voices accusing both Parliament and the NUP of neglecting their member.