By Leonard Kamugisha Akida
NATIONAL
The minister of justice and constitutional affairs Hon. Nobert Mao has refuted to reports of negotiations between government and any individuals on the release of members of parliament Muhammed Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana.
Last week, the high court in Masaka granted bail to the duo after they had spent 17 months in Luzira prison on charges of murder, attempted murder and treason in the spate of the 2021 machete killing in the Masaka region.
Over the past week, there have been reports alleging that the National Unity Platform and families of the legislators calendestinely engaged government into negotiations to release the two MPs.
Critiques have accused the justice and constitutional affairs minister also Democratic Party (DP) president, Nobert Mao of influencing the MPs release for his political interests.
Speaking to journalists at the DP headquarters at Balintuma road on Tuesday (February 21), Mao however said that bail is an individual right stating that the legislators were released on the request of their families not due to political influence as alleged by media reports
“Whatever I did, I did not do it because of politics,I did it because of the families of those two MPs and to those families of whoever is in detention,” Mao said
He disclosed that families of the two legislators have been reaching out to him for help to have their members released out of prison because they’re the only bread winners to the families.
“Even before I was appointed a minister, the mother of Ssegirinya knelt to me at the chambers of parliament and said; Mao help us get Ssegirinya out! When I was appointed a minister, she was the first to visit my office. The family of Ssewanyana came to me. Whatever I did , I did it to them,” Mao said without denying his hand in the release of the two MPs.
According to Mao, this is not the first time DP has helped convicted persons out of prison.
In January 2009, president Museveni pardoned the former minister of security in Obote government Chris Rwakasisi under his exercise of prerogative of mercy. This was after a delegation of NRM strongholds from Bushenyi led by Al-Hajji Hassan Basajjabalaba (the then NRM Chairman of Bushenyi) petitioned the president seeking for release of Rwakasisi after spending 20 years in prison.
Its against this background that Mao threatened to name and shame opposition politicians attacking him of forming a corporation with the ruling government yet they use back doors to negotiate, seek for support from the president.
He calls for dialogue and reconciliation as a mean to restore democractic values such as peaceful transition of power.
