Jackson Ssevume, a resident of Kasambya village, Busunju in Mityana district, who became poular on Tiktok during the lockdown for denying that he was taking alcohol, but rather omunanaansi (drink made from pineapple peels) is jubilating after a house was built for him. 

“Ogwo munaanasi” became a popular sound that was used by Ugandans during their TikTok challeneges, but its origin was Ssevume, who was seen holding a beer bottle. When he was told that he was taking alcohol, he denied, insisting he was taking omunanaansi. 

Promoter Asha, who lives in the UK, was among the many that saw Ssevume on Tiktok. 

Asha with Ssevuume. Photo by Ignatius Kamya

She said one day as she was coming from a burial, she saw someone that resembled Ssevume and directed her driver to park the car and say hi to him. It was at this moment that she realised it was him. 

“On greeting Ssevume, he asked me if I could go with him to his home. It's here that he showed me a house that was in a sorry state and was about to collapse," says Asha. 

She adds that Ssevume asked her to help him build a house where he could live since he had been promised by many that hadn’t fulfilled their promise. 

Asha built the house which she handed over to him on Monday, January 8, 2024 together with new clothes and a solar system to help him with lighting. 

Ssevume here was dancing for fellow villagers that had come to jubilate with him. Photo by Ignatius Kamya

It was a joyous occasion in Kasambya village, which had a fairly great attendance among the villagers whom were served a meal in celebration of such an achievement. 

In a village with electricity and only a handful of homesteads having solar power, celebrating this milestone for Ssevume was surely ideal. 

Ssevume, who looked more as if he was already drunk at the time, got the opportunity to thank Asha and promised her not to sell off any of the things she bought as it was her biggest fear.