“Kizza Besigye Will Never Kneel Before Museveni To Release Him” Ssemujju Nganda Sets The Record Straight

A heated political debate has erupted after Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda declared that opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye would never kneel before President Yoweri Museveni to plead for freedom. Ssemujju, a close ally of Besigye, praised the veteran politician’s resilience, saying he has consistently resisted intimidation, imprisonment, and humiliation.

Recalling past events, Ssemujju said former intelligence chief Gen. David Sejusa once sought Besigye’s counsel before returning from exile in 2013. Museveni had reportedly sent emissaries to reassure Sejusa of his safety, but Besigye dismissed the move. He compared Sejusa’s hesitation to “Kanonya Kawooya,” a Bush War nickname for desperate rebels who surrendered rather than fight on.

Ssemujju noted that Besigye had warned Sejusa not to trust Museveni, arguing that promises of protection would eventually be broken. True to that prediction, Sejusa was later arrested and has since remained under heavy surveillance at his Lyantonde residence, where his movements and visitors are restricted.

The legislator also revealed that former security minister Gen. Henry Tumukunde once attempted to persuade Besigye to negotiate with Museveni, claiming it would ease his detention woes. Tumukunde himself admitted he had been released several times after making deals with the President. But Ssemujju insisted Besigye would never compromise his principles in exchange for personal comfort.

Highlighting Tumukunde’s ties to the First Family, Ssemujju argued that his detentions were often lenient, allowing him personal privileges. He recounted how Tumukunde even apologized to Museveni under pressure from his wife—something Besigye, he stressed, would never do. For Besigye, freedom must come through justice, not submission.

“Museveni just wants to make Besigye desperate so he kneels before him,” Ssemujju said. He further warned that Museveni has sought to use the courts to portray Besigye as a threat, while his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, allegedly views Besigye as an even greater danger and wants him eliminated. Still, Besigye has refused to yield.

As he prepares to face treason charges alongside his aides, Besigye has already rejected presiding judge Emmanuel Baguma, accusing him of bias. For now, the opposition leader maintains that his freedom must be earned through merit, not submission—a defiant stance that continues to inspire many within Uganda’s opposition movement.