The Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Thomas Tayebwa, has denied allegations that Parliament refused to pay for the treatment of Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya, saying the medical board that Parliament relies on to authorize such payments hasn’t received any application from the lawmaker about his medical condition.
“I have crosschecked, the Medical Board hasn’t received any application from Hon. Ssegirinya but also the Speaker and Office of Clerk hasn’t received any formal information from Hon. Ssegirinya about his treatment,” Tayebwa told plenary on Tuesday.
He added: “Let us be proactive and see how best we can help him, because of the state he is in, he isn’t able to come and do the application, so whoever can reach out to his relatives, please bring his documents that we present them to the medical board to see how best our colleague can be helped.”
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga, revealed that some insurance companies hired by Parliament to offer medical insurance to MPs have been supplying hot air and limiting MPs to only taking Panadol, despite the high premium costs they are charging Parliamentary Commission.
His remarks were in reaction to clarification made by Deputy Speaker on steps being taken by Parliament to extend help to MP Ssegirinya, who was faulted for failing to adhere to set procedures on how to acquire medical treatment abroad if the bill is to be paid using taxpayers’ money.
“We need to revise our insurance scheme, it isn’t very helpful to so many members some of the insurance companies are cheating its members some of them are supplying air, some of them are limiting MPs to Panadol we need to revise it, probably, the first area of contact should have been his insurance company,” Mpuuga noted.
Mpuuga also revealed that MP Ssegirinya is in very bad shape and in need of medical help.
Mpuuga further admitted that he (Ssegirinya) didn’t communicate properly before seeking for medical treatment outside Uganda.
Chris Ariko Obore, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Parliament, said Parliament cannot neglect any MP when they have health complications.
“There is already an insurance scheme for each member and immediate family. However, for any treatment outside the country, parliament only foots the medical bills upon clearance by the Medical Board as provided in law,” Obore tweeted.
“For the case of Hon Mohammed Segirinya, he travelled out of the country without Medical Board clearance, without notification to the Speaker and even Leader of the Opposition. It makes it hard for parliament to process public funds for such a case.”
According to Obore, the handlers of Hon Ssegirinya have been reaching out to parliament and this procedure was explained to them. “Indeed, Hon Ssegirinya needs support but the handlers must be mindful of the law when it comes to public funds.”
Ssegirinya will be forced to do the hospital laundry, should he fail to pay Shs80 million in medical bills, he told Daily Monitor.
He has been admitted to Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra (UMC) Hospital in the Netherlands since August 10, 2023.
He was flown to Germany on August 1, where he has since been receiving specialised treatment following his over one-year stay in prison.
He said Parliament is supposed to cater for his medical bills as per sub-section 3.5 of the Medical Insurance Scheme Guidelines for Members of Parliament but that with the exception of buying him an air ticket to Nairobi, Parliament has never footed a single medical bill since his travel.
“I have spent my own money now amounting to Shs70 million on medical treatment in Nairobi and here in Germany. I don’t have any money with me, yet the hospital needs money. I don’t know what I will do now,” he is quoted as saying.
