Daily Monitor |

Former Buganda Katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere is facing arrest after Police yesterday confirmed that he is being investigated for allegedly contravening the country’s social security law.

Mr Ssemwogerere said yesterday that police officers had searched his hotel in Masaka, his three country homes in Buddu, Ssese and Mawokota and his Kampala residence.

“The reason I have called you here is to tell you that security agents have been hunting for me,” Mr Ssemwogerere said during a hastily convened press conference at Christ the King Church in Kampala. “Plain-clothed security operatives and some police officers have been to my hotel, they have been to my country home, they went to my farm and I think they are trying to create charges against me.”

Southern Regional Police Commander Fred Ssekiwere confirmed to Daily Monitor that Mr Ssemwogerere was under investigation for reportedly failing to register his employees with the National Social Security Fund.

“Those who searched his hotel were NSSF officials who were looking for defaulters,” Mr Ssekiwere said. “The police officers that were seen there were just providing back-up support and escort services to NSSF officials. That is the truth on the ground.”

But Mr Ssekiwere seemed to contradict Southern Regional Police spokesman, Noah Sserunjogi, who told Daily Monitor earlier yesterday that detectives rushed to the hotel after NSSF officials obtained a warrant of arrest against the former Buganda Kingdom official.

“It is true he is supposed to be arrested,” Mr Sserunjogi said. “NSSF officials came to Masaka and they needed assistance from police. We gave them detectives to help them. I actually saw a warrant of arrest but I never paid much attention to the details.”
Mr Sserunjogi said the matter was being handled at a higher level by detectives from Kampala.

He referred this reporter to the national police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba, who also said she had insufficient details. In a statement to Daily Monitor last evening, NSSF public relations manager Victor Karamagi confirmed that a warrant of arrest was issued by the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Masaka on Tuesday following Mulwanyamuli’s failure to remit NSSF contributions for his employees, despite several reminders since 2008.

Mr Karamagi said: “There is no substance in the allegations of persecution; as far as NSSF is concerned, the law empowers the Fund to collect contributions for workers from employers with five or more workers.”

At the press conference, Mr Ssemwogerere said, “They tried to interrogate employees at the hotel about their NSSF status but the NSSF Act stipulates that the employees must be of a minimum number of five to get registered. My hotel has got only four dedicated employees and the other two are interns from a catering institute.”

He accused the government of trying to frame him because he has joined the Inter-Party Cooperation, a coalition of five opposition parties working to field a single candidate against President Museveni in the 2011 elections.

“Someone will ask: why now? Even if I had a case why did they wait after I decided to join the IPC?” he said. “I am inclined to conclude that the reason for hunting me is not because I have broken the law but because of my political views. The leaders of this country felt uncomfortable ever since I decided to join forces of change,” Mr Ssemwogerere said. “I call upon the law enforcement agencies in this country not to be misused for a partisan agenda.”
Mr Ssemwogerere joined the political opposition last month, saying he wanted “to help Ugandans take charge of the governance of their country”.