By Aggrey Baba
MP Asuman Basalirwa, also JEEMA president has stirred public debate in Bugiri, after a video emerged showing him handing cash to the same chapati seller who humiliated him during his campaign opening rally at Bugiri Bus Park.
In the video, which is now circulating widely on social media, Basalirwa is seen seated on the same sofa with the brave chapat seller, pulling money from his pocket and forcing it into the hands of the visibly hesitant young man identified, Hadadi.
The chapati seller appears in the same clothes he wore on Thursday when he confronted the MP before thousands of voters who had come to listen to the promises and answers to their questions, from the Municipality MP.
Although the video has no sound, it has sparked mixed reactions, with many wondering what exactly the money was meant for. Some have described it as a peace gesture, while others suspect it was a form of inducement to silence the outspoken youth.
Sources who attended the Thursday rally said Basalirwa’s Q&A session nearly turned chaotic after several residents, including Hadadi, lined up to question his record and political stand. The session went out of control when Hadadi demanded that the MP explain his silence on the controversial UPDF Amendment Bill, which reinstated the trial of civilians in military courts, and the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, introduced by Justice Minister Norbert Mao.
The chapati seller accused Basalirwa of betraying the opposition and failing to defend the rights of ordinary citizens. He also questioned the MP’s close ties with Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and the NRM government, saying Bugiri voters were beginning to doubt his loyalty to the opposition.
Tension rose when Basalirwa’s supporters roughed up the young man, forcing the rally to temporarily stop. He was later rescued and brought back to the stage after the MP appealed for calm.
In his speech, Basalirwa, who kept reminding the crowd, of him being among the top ten (10) MPs in Parliament, asked for forgiveness from the voters, admitting that his long absence from the constituency had angered many. He attributed his absence to heavy parliamentary responsibilities, saying his work in committees keeps him busy in Kampala.
He, however, defended his record, insisting that he works for the people who sent him to Parliament. He also told the Bugirians that he had been tasked by Muslim elders to prepare a Bill prohibiting homosexuality, saying it goes against both religious and cultural values.
Despite his explanations, residents say the mood in Bugiri remains tense, with growing signs of voter frustration. Many accuse Basalirwa of abandoning the people and only resurfacing during election seasons.
Political observers in the district say the viral video of Basalirwa giving money to the same man who questioned him may further complicate his image among the electorate. To some, it paints him as a forgiving leader, while to others, it looks like an attempt to buy back public sympathy, or silence the young man, after a humiliating confrontation.
The incident has since dominated discussions across the district, with many saying it reflects how far the once-celebrated opposition figure has drifted from his grassroots supporters. For now, Basalirwa’s political camp appears to be in damage control mode as the re-election race tightens ahead of 2026. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
