Cerinah Nebanda Explained

Cerinah Nebanda
Birth Place:	Uganda
Death Place:	Kampala, Uganda
Occupation:	Politician
Years Active:	2011–2012
Nationality:	Ugandan
Citizenship:	Uganda
Known For:	Politics
Member of Parliament Parliament of Uganda

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]

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) 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]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Martin. Cerinah Nebanda's Sudden Death Leaves MPs In Shock. 15 December 2012. Ssebuyira. 5 July 2015. Kampala. Daily Monitor.
2. Web site: murami . 2019-08-21 . Gov’t may still probe Nebanda’s death . 2022-04-05 . www.parliament.go.ug . en.
3. Web site: Lawyers Ask President To Respect MPs On Nebanda. Gyezaho . Emmanuel. Kampala. 28 December 2012. 5 July 2015. Daily Monitor.
4. Web site: Nebanda Death: Cocaine, Alcohol Found. 22 December 2012. 5 July 2015. Reporter. Vision. New Vision. Kampala.
5. Web site: Chaos At Nebanda Burial As Speaker Rejects Government Death Report. Reporter. New Vision. 23 December 2012. Vision. 5 July 2015.
6. Web site: NRM Did Not Kill Nebanda – Museveni. 24 December 2012. 5 July 2015. New Vision. Kampala. Apollo. Mubiru.
7. Web site: Museveni Faces MPs Revolt Over Nebanda. The Observer (Uganda). Siraje . Lubwama. 2 January 2013. 5 July 2015.
8. Web site: Kampala Central MP Mohamed Nsereko Released On Bail. 31 December 2012. Julius. Odeke. The Independent (Uganda). Kampala. 5 July 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924042341/http://www.independent.co.ug/news/news/7110-kampala-central-mp-mohamed-nsereko-released-on-bail. 24 September 2015. dmy-all.
9. Web site: Cerinah Nebanda’s Death: Pathologist Arrested, Dad Breaks Silence. Daily Monitor. Kampala. 18 December 2012. 5 July 2015. Sheila Naturinda, Mercy Nalugo. and Martin Ssebuyira.
10. Web site: Police Investigation Into The Death of Hon Cerinah Nebanda . 5 July 2015 . 2 January 2013 . Julius . Odeke . . Kampala . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055104/http://independent.co.ug/news/news/7114-police-investigation-into-the-death-of-hon-cerinah-nebanda . 4 March 2016 . dmy-all .
11. News: Kampala . Nebanda Boyfriend Arrested In Kenya, Extradited . 5 July 2015 . 4 January 2013 . Reporter . Vision . New Vision.
12. http://www.redpepper.co.ug/dpp-appeals-against-adam-kalungi-acquittal "DPP Appeals Against Adam Kalungi Acquittal", RedPepper, 9 July 2014, accessed 11 July 2015