Nairobi, Kenya: Former Ugandan comedian Sammy Okanya, popularly known as Sammy Da Mighty Family, has accused the National Unity Platform (NUP) of abandoning him after he risked his life supporting the party’s activities, leaving him stranded in Kenya without food or medical care.
In a video that has since gone viral on social media, a visibly distressed Sammy said he was “on the verge of death” due to hunger and illness after spending months in exile.
The comedian claimed he was advised by NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu to leave Uganda for his own safety, following repeated threats linked to his participation in protests.
“My people, I am in very bad shape. I am very hungry and starving. I want to let people know that my political party ignored me, yet they are the ones that told me to leave the country and go to Kenya. If I die, I want to serve as an example to everyone in the struggle,” he said tearfully.
Sammy rose to fame as part of the Mighty Family comedy group and built a strong following on social media, which he later used to amplify NUP’s political campaigns.
He was arrested on multiple occasions during street demonstrations and claims his visible role in opposition activism made him a target.
According to Sammy, after he fled to Kenya on the party’s advice, he was promised financial support that never materialised. Efforts to contact senior NUP officials have so far been unsuccessful.
The incident has sparked renewed debate about how political movements support their frontline activists. Critics argue that many young Ugandans have risked their safety only to be left to fend for themselves when the cameras move on.
Some activists online have launched a campaign urging well-wishers to support Sammy with basic necessities as he struggles to survive in exile.
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