Mbwatekamwa Vs Kakyebezi: Mbarara MPs Reportedly Back Mbwatekamwa, Gang Up Against Kakyebezi

After representing the people of Igara West constituency in Bushenyi District for one month, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa aka Rukamba says he has done enough for his voters and now seeks to be mayor of Mbarara City, a role held currently by former radio presenter Robert Kakyebezi Mugabe.

Mbwatekamwa was previously MP for Kasambya in Mubende District, a seat now occupied by Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) secretary general David Kabanda.

In a recent media interview, Mbwatekamwa said it was high time Kakyebezi handed over his office keys to him because he was very confident he would render him politically jobless.

Mbwatekamwa says nothing can stop him from contesting for the Mbarara mayoral job, saying the city does not belong to Kakyebezi alone but to all those who dwell in it.

Mbwatekamwa has homes in Mubende, Igara West and in Kampala.

He has also made it clear that he is on some days a resident of Mbarara City, and that he therefore qualifies to be its mayor.

“Another thing, I’m a resident of Mbarara City. My home is behind Hotel triangle,” he said in his interview with Glory FM host Justus Omuhango.

He also added that he is fully qualified to contest. He talked of holding academic qualifications beyond A-level, the minimum requirement by the law.

Tough challenger for Kakyebezi?

It looks like Mbwatekamwa is not alone in his quest to fell Kakyebezi. Apparently, some MPs representing Mbarara City in Parliament are backing him up to uproot Kakyebezi.

A political novice but a popular radio DJ and funny events emcee, Kakyebezi uprooted Wilson Tumwine from the mayoral seat in 2016.

When Mbarara was granted city status, he became interim mayor and was consequently reelected.

It is said that some MPs, even when they are from the same ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party like him, are not in good terms with Kakyebezi for reportedly denying their constituencies key projects.

That as such, issues which should have been easily resolved have remained, making residents continue to suffer poor service delivery.

That it is such MPs who are rallying behind Mbwatekamwa to kick out Kakyebezi.

“As MPs from Western Uganda, we lobby for our city, but everything is mismanaged by the city leadership,” Mbwatekamwa continued.

He gave an example of Kakyeka Stadium which should have been well renovated to host the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tourney games, Mbwatekamwa said it was time to put someone who cares about the city into the mayoral office.

“We had approved the budget to support the construction of Kakyeka stadium to host AFCON but due to lack of a land title, government opted to [abandon Kakyeka and instead] construct Hoima Stadium to host AFCON,” he further noted.

It should be remembered that first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s PLU, through Minister Balaam Barugahara, endorsed a youthful politician for the Igara West parliamentary seat, as reported Here.

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