Cerinah Nebanda

Cerinah Nebanda (1988–2012) was a member of the parliament of Uganda, representing the Butaleja District Women's Constituency.^[1] Her death at the age of 24, in December 2012,^[2] sparked political controversy.^[3]

Cerinah Nebanda
Born	Uganda
Died	2012 (aged 23–24) Kampala, Uganda
Nationality	Ugandan
Citizenship	Uganda
Occupation	Politician
Years active	2011–2012
Known for	Politics
Title	Member of Parliament Parliament of Uganda

Death and subsequent investigation

A government chemist's post-mortem report stated that cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and several other chemicals were found in Nebanda's blood, intestinal tract, and tissue samples.^[4]

At Nebanda's funeral, however, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga rejected this report.^[5] Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni denied that the National Resistance Movement, the political party to which he and the late Nebanda belonged to, had killed her.^[6] The Observer newspaper reported that some Ugandan members of parliament (MPs)^[who?] believe that Nebanda was poisoned, as she was a vocal critic of the government, and that the state was "arresting anyone suspected to be propagating that line".^[7] Among those arrested were two MPs, one of whom was Mohamed Nsereko.^[8]

Earlier, The Daily Monitor newspaper had reported that a pathologist who Nebanda's family had asked to examine her samples had been arrested while on his way to conduct tests in South Africa.^[9]

On 2 January 2013, police announced that they had opened an investigation into Nebanda's death and linked it to what they called "a narcotic drug syndicate operating in a number of countries including Uganda, Pakistan, and South Sudan".^[10] On 4 January, Nebanda's boyfriend, Adam Suleiman Kalungi, was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Uganda for questioning by police.^[11] In July 2014, he was acquitted of the criminal charges surrounding her death.^[12]

References

1. Ssebuyira, Martin (15 December 2012). "Cerinah Nebanda's Sudden Death Leaves MPs In Shock". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
2. murami (21 August 2019). "Gov't may still probe Nebanda's death". www.parliament.go.ug. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
3. Gyezaho, Emmanuel (28 December 2012). "Lawyers Ask President To Respect MPs On Nebanda". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
4. Vision, Reporter (22 December 2012). "Nebanda Death: Cocaine, Alcohol Found". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
5. Vision, Reporter (23 December 2012). "Chaos At Nebanda Burial As Speaker Rejects Government Death Report". New Vision. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
6. Mubiru, Apollo (24 December 2012). "NRM Did Not Kill Nebanda – Museveni". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
7. Lubwama, Siraje (2 January 2013). "Museveni Faces MPs Revolt Over Nebanda". The Observer (Uganda). Retrieved 5 July 2015.
8. Odeke, Julius (31 December 2012). . The Independent (Uganda). Kampala. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
9. Sheila Naturinda, Mercy Nalugo, and Martin Ssebuyira (18 December 2012). "Cerinah Nebanda's Death: Pathologist Arrested, Dad Breaks Silence". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
10. Odeke, Julius (2 January 2013). . The Independent (Uganda). Kampala. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
11. Vision, Reporter (4 January 2013). "Nebanda Boyfriend Arrested In Kenya, Extradited". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
12. "DPP Appeals Against Adam Kalungi Acquittal", RedPepper, 9 July 2014, accessed 11 July 2015