Final Days: Ssemujju winds down parliamentary career

As veteran legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda prepares to exit Parliament after 15 years, he reflects on his legacy of sharp debate and budget scrutiny while shifting focus to party building, mentorship, and farming beyond elective politics.

After 15 years of outspoken debate, legislative scrutiny, and sharp political wit, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda is preparing to exit Parliament, marking the end of a defining chapter in Uganda’s opposition politics and the beginning of a new phase centred on party work, mentorship, and farming.

As dawn breaks, Ssemujju is already up and headed to Parliament, keeping a routine he says has defined his entire tenure. Among the earliest to arrive, he settles into his office to read, reflect, and plan his day.

On this particular morning, he was scheduled to appear on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze, offering yet another example of his consistent engagement with public discourse.

But this routine is now winding down. Ssemujju says he has been gradually transitioning out of parliamentary life, steadily clearing his office to make way for incoming legislators.

“I have been picking my belongings from office gradually, more so to give Parliament time to prepare for the next legislators,” he said.

His final appearance in the House came during debate on the 2026/2027 national budget, an area where he built a reputation for detailed analysis—often standing out in a chamber where many legislators shy away from complex financial documents.

“When an MP is given a document of four thousand pages, they get scared to read it. Some don’t even know where to look,” he said.

Throughout his time in Parliament, Ssemujju became known not just for his grasp of legislative detail, but also for his ability to challenge procedure, inject humour into debate, and refocus discussions when they veered off track.

His exchanges with Speaker Anita Among, including memorable debates on poverty in Busoga, cemented his reputation as one of the House’s most vocal and analytical figures.

Looking ahead, he says his experience will be channelled into mentoring a new generation of legislators. He plans to establish a consultancy firm with colleagues to offer training and advisory services within Uganda and across the East African region.

“Me and some colleagues intend to start a consultancy firm. We can teach in East African countries as well as here in Uganda,” he said.

Ssemujju also intends to dedicate more time to the People’s Front for Freedom, where he serves as Secretary General and chief of staff. With the party still in its early stages, he says his priority will be grassroots mobilisation and expanding membership.

“I have not had time to concentrate on the party, but now I will prioritise registering members and getting the grassroots of the party structures,” he said.

He has already begun engaging in party activities, including organising celebrations to mark the birthday of veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye.

Beyond politics, Ssemujju is turning to farming, a venture he appears to embrace with equal confidence. At his farm, far removed from the formal suits of Parliament, he says he expects to spend much of his free time after years of political turbulence.

His departure comes alongside several other prominent figures in the 11th Parliament, including Mathias Mpuuga, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, Medard Lubega Ssegona, Abdu Katuntu, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, Theodore Ssekikubo, and Barnabas Tinkasiimire, many of whom have been central to shaping debate and holding the executive to account.

Attention now turns to the incoming cohort of MPs, as Ugandans watch to see whether they will match the intensity and influence of their predecessors—or leave a vacuum that rekindles appreciation for the legislators now stepping away.