Drama unfolded at the burial of former Buyamba County Member of Parliament Amos Mandela Mugerwa in Kacheera Sub-county, Rakai District, after angry mourners disrupted proceedings over condolence messages sent by current area leaders.
The chaos erupted at Kibaati Village in Kajju Parish, where residents had gathered to pay their final respects to the former two-term legislator.
Trouble started when Kalungu West MP Gonzaga Ssewungu (NUP) took to the podium to deliver official condolences on behalf of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa. Before reading the Deputy Speaker’s message, Mr Ssewungu announced that he had also been requested to convey condolences from current Buyamba County MP Gyaviira Ssemwanga and Rakai District Woman MP Juliet Ssuubi Kinyamatama, both of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The announcement provoked an angry reaction from a section of the crowd, who began shouting and demanding that the condolences from the two NRM leaders be withdrawn immediately. Protesters accused the absent lawmakers of neglecting their constituents and only associating with the community during bereavement.
Some mourners also accused Gyaviira”s camp of assaulting Mandela during campaigns, claiming it partly contributed to his illness.
The commotion escalated as several mourners rose from their seats and moved toward the main VIP tent, forcing the burial ceremony to be halted for several minutes. Order was only restored after police officers deployed at the venue intervened and dispersed the advancing crowd, allowing the final rites to proceed peacefully.
The incident highlights underlying political friction in Buyamba County, where residents have voiced increasing frustration over local representation and service delivery following the January 2026 General Election.
Local leaders present later appealed for calm and decorum, cautioning residents against using solemn send-offs for political agitation.
By press time, neither MP Ssemwanga nor Woman MP Kinyamatama had commented on the incident. Police confirmed that no injuries were recorded during the scuffle.
The late Mandela passed away on Sunday morning, October 25, 2026, at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where he had spent two months in intensive care receiving treatment for throat and lung complications. His health reportedly deteriorated months after he lost the Buyamba County seat to Mr Ssemwanga in the 2026 elections, in which he ran as an Independent candidate.
Confirming his passing on Sunday, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa eulogised Mandela for his dedicated service during his time in the 9th and 10th Parliaments.
“I am saddened to learn of the death of our colleague Hon. Amos Mandela Mugerwa, who represented Buyamba County in the 9th and 10th Parliaments,” Mr Tayebwa posted on X. “We were together on the Committee on National Economy, where he always asserted for effective absorption of government loans before more could be borrowed. Through his persistent efforts, the committee set tough guidelines before any loan could be approved”.
Before joining parliament, Mandela worked as a Community Development Officer in Rakai District. He entered elective politics in 2011, defeating former lawmaker Major (Rtd) Mugumya Magulumaali to win the Buyamba seat under the former Kooki County. He subsequently retained his seat in 2016 after Buyamba was designated an independent constituency.