Takeaways

• Socialite Zari Hassan blasted journalist Simon Kaggwa Njala for his claims regarding the suspicious nature of Ivan Semwanga’s death.
• Kaggwa Njala claimed a South African hospital denied having any record of Semwanga being admitted as a patient there.
• Zari Hassan defended her late ex-husband’s family, stating they verified his death and completed all necessary burial rites.

The exchange followed a social media discussion in which a former X user raised questions about Semwanga’s passing. Kaggwa Njala responded by claiming that he had taken the initiative to investigate the matter, describing it as controversial.

According to the journalist, he had even contacted the South African hospital where Semwanga reportedly died to inquire about his medical records, only to be told that the facility had never had such a patient.

His remarks did not go down well with Zari, who responded with a sharp message directed at people she believes spend too much time investigating matters that do not concern them.

“Most people have nothing to do,” Zari remarked, questioning why an older man would dedicate his time to digging into another person’s private affairs.

She further invoked the English saying that misery loves company, suggesting that people who are struggling financially sometimes resort to unnecessary controversies to attract attention.

Although she did not mention Kaggwa Njala by name, her comments appeared to be directed at the journalist following his statements about Semwanga’s death.

Zari also challenged the suggestion that the hospital’s inability to confirm Semwanga’s records should be grounds for further speculation. She argued that hospitals in South Africa are bound by patient confidentiality policies and cannot freely disclose personal medical information to members of the public.

The mother of Semwanga’s children maintained that the family had confirmed his death through the hospital and that the necessary arrangements were subsequently made in Uganda.

She added that traditional rituals involving Semwanga’s children were performed before his burial, questioning why outsiders were attempting to reopen a matter that the family had already dealt with.

Zari also argued that people living in South Africa may use different names for various reasons, meaning that searching for someone under a particular identity might not necessarily yield the expected results.

She wondered what Kaggwa Njala intended to do with the information if he eventually obtained it, maintaining that the investigation was unnecessary.

The businesswoman concluded by telling those interested in the matter to find something productive to do and leave her family alone.

Semwanga, who was widely known for his business interests and high-profile lifestyle, died in May 2017 in South Africa. His death attracted considerable public attention, partly because of his relationship with Zari and their children.

However, Kaggwa Njala’s recent remarks have reignited online discussion about the circumstances surrounding his death, drawing a strong response from Zari, who has defended her family’s account of the events.