FALSE: The NRM Supporter Didn’t Burn Himself To Divert The Nation From Besigye As Alleged.
A post shared on X of a man in yellow clothes burning left a lot of buzz and claims that he set himself on fire to divert the public’s attention from Dr Kizza Besigye’s wrongful jailing, as shared by the Kampala Journal News. These claims are false.
KJNews shared what they termed “exclusive details” about the incident that happened right outside the Ugandan parliament to justify the man’s actions, which were not right. The post gained traction, with 12.3K views.
“EXCLUSIVE: New details on NRM supporter who burnt self at parliament emerge. NRM supporter who immolated at parliament paid UGX 50m, promised a house to divert Ugandans from the Besigye debate. A source at the NRM Secretariat says the NRM supporter, Benjamin Agaba, was paid UGX 50m and promised a house in Nansana, Wakiso district, to divert Ugandans from the heated Besigye debate and the suffering of civilians in military courts.” Reads part of the KJNews X post
The Analysis
The man, indeed identified as Benjamin Agaba, tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire on Wednesday, 26 February 2025.
It is also true that Besigye has been and still is the talk of the nation and beyond since last November 2024, when he was arrested in Nairobi and tried at the General Court Martial, where he faced charges of illegal possession and an attempt to purchase arms abroad, before his case was transferred to Nakawa Magistrates Court, where he was charged with treason here, here, here, here, here, and.
Was Agaba’s suicide attempt linked to Kizza Besigye’s case and diverting the public from it, as claimed?
Not really. The evidence presented by trusted news sources from interviews conducted after the incident says otherwise.
The Evidence
A simple Google Reverse Image search of the image used by KJNews led us to various articles written about the incident here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
KJNews claims Agaba was paid 50 million shillings and promised a house in Nansana, Wakiso District, if he diverted people’s attention from Besigye’s case. However, in an article by Megafm about the incident, Agaba was frustrated by not receiving compensation for a praise song he had sung for the president of Uganda and chairman of the NRM. According to the report, the source of this detail was Agaba’s friend, who preferred anonymity
“A friend of the victim, who preferred anonymity, said that Agaba had called him the previous night, expressing frustration over his futile attempts to get assistance from the NRM Secretariat and other offices. The victim had reportedly threatened to take his own life.” Read paragraph three of the story.
In addition,
“He said that Agaba, a budding artist from Kiboga District, had high hopes after composing a song praising President Museveni’s leadership. He expected a token of appreciation or recognition from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), but unfortunately, it didn’t materialize last year.” The anonymous source is quoted in paragraph four of the story
In an interview with the Uganda Radio Network (URN), Agaba’s friend noted that his friend was originally a supporter of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, which he abandoned to join the National Resistance Movement (NRM). And for a while, he was harassed and attacked by his former colleagues for his choice; his family was also exposed, and his father later pushed him out of their home.
“He told me that he was in NUP in 2021 and later switched to NRM, but some of his former colleagues were angered, allegedly attacking his home, injuring him, and setting his father’s house on fire. His father, who had begged him to avoid politics, was disappointed in him and chased him away from home.” Read the sixth paragraph of the story.
The reports highlight an emotional buildup over several failed attempts for Agaba to redeem himself and get justice for the events that transpired in his life and family.
“He had been seeking compensation from NRM and justice from the police, but to no avail. His father had sent him away. These frustrations ultimately led him to contemplate taking his own life,” the friend said. ”He added in the seventh paragraph.
Agaba eventually succumbed to the third-degree burns as he received treatment from Kiruddu Hospital on the 10th of March, 2025. But before that, the NRM Director of Communication, Emmanuel Dombo, who “learnt” about Agaba’s frustration after the incident, noted that Agaba may not have met the right people in his attempts to seek help from the secretariat and dismissed claims that Agaba was used by the party and neglected.
“We will expedite medical assistance for Benjamin Agaba. Once he recovers, we will invite him to share his concerns with us. We receive numerous requests for support daily, and sometimes, our resources at the secretariat are stretched thin. But in this case, I can assure you that we shall follow up,” Dombo said in an interview with URN
He also dismissed claims that Agaba was used and abandoned by the party, emphasizing that his desperate act was not due to the NRM’s negligence. He urged party supporters to follow established channels when seeking assistance.”
Verdict:
FALSE. Agaba’s attempt on his life was out of frustration, influenced by several events, including non-compensation for the song he had sung for the president of Uganda, according to reports. There’s no evidence suggesting that it was a ploy by the government to divert public attention and debate from the controversial arrest and trial of Dr Kizza Besigye, as alleged by KJNews.
Disregard the claim, and may Agaba’s soul rest in peace.