Tough Race: Mayor Kakyebezi, MP Mbwatekamwa lock horns over City Mayoral Seat 2026

Amos Tayebwa

The rivalry and beef between Mbarara City Mayor Robeert Mugabe Kakyebezi and the Igara West incumbent Member of Parliament Gaffa Mbawatekamwa has reached its peak as campaigns for the 2026 elections extend nearier.

The two iconic politicians have recently been seen on various public functions throwing bitter words against each other, this war started between the duo a few weeks ago after Mbawatekamwa showed his interest to contest for Mbarara City Mayoral seat against Kakyebezi.

Last week, at Nyamityobora Playground in Mbarara City during the Garage workers’ function, MP Mbwatekamwa announced how he is set to oust Kakyebezi from Mbarara City Mayorship through election come 2026.

While addressing the masses, Mbwatekamwa said that the current regime led by Kakyebezi has led Mbarara City to a spot of corruption in the entire country. He said that the leadership of Kakyebezi has become incompetent and lacks direction as far as service delivery is concerned.

“As Leaders from Western region, we look at Mbarara as our main City and we can’t keep seated while seeing our City backsliding in terms of development. We have always lobbied for funds from Parliament purposely to cater for Mbarara City but when it reaches here they fail to utilize it and you find the money going back to the State treasury at the end of Financial Year, yet our people lack services. The most factors that have prompted me to come and stand for the Mayoral seat here is because of  Kakyebezi’s poor leadership that is  accompanied by the high rate of corruption in this city. Conflicts between Mbarara City Mayor Kakyebezi and Mbarara District LCV5 Chairman affected the process for the development of Kakyeka Stadium which we had lobbied from the  parliament, this was later diverted to Hoima City due to cheap politics of our leaders here. We had lobbied for an International Hospital to come to Mbarara City but all the processes were foiled because of poor Leadership at the City Council” said Mbwatekamwa

“I am coming down from the Parliamentary position purposely to rescue our people and our  Mbarara City which has been messed up by the current leadership led by Kakyebezi. I am an MP of Igaara West but am also a resident of Mbarara City as old as Great African Radio. I am Mbwatekamwa but this time I must produce milk and the people of Mbarara will taste and benefit from my milk. I am a dog like my name states, who will bite all the people who are involved in corruption related cases” he added

However, in a viral video clip shows the Mbarara City Mayor Kakyebezi while appearing on a certain burial ceremony in Bushenyi backfiring against Mbwatekamwa that the people of Mbarara are not interested in Dog’s milk as he claims to be.Kakyebezi mentioned that the people of Mbarara are cattle keepers and its their prestige.

Kakyebezi also said that Mbwatekamwa is a political Vendor who doesn’t concentrate in one place to work for the people he leads.

“Mbwatekamwa as the MP for Igara has failed to work for his electorates, if he has failed to work for the constituent that he represents, why should he come to our City, for us the people of Mbarara we don’t want a vendor of politics in our City, let him go away or he rest from where he is.  We shall chase him like a chicken thief when he comes to our City. He failed to work for the people of Kasambya County as an MP of then, he later came to Igara West and lied to them about ambulance vehicles  and other stuff, how can such a  person claim to be a leader? I have now heard that he (Mbwatekamwa) this time wants to milk for the people of Mbarara , no, if it’s dog’s milk let him drink it for himself. Mbarara is well known as the land of milk and honey, you can’t come and remove our cow’s monument and put the dog one at our Mahembe Gente site, in Ankore we believe in cows not in dogs, we shall not allow the dog to bark in our City. I am waiting for him and he will regret it in the next election” said Kakyebezi, Mayor Mbarara City.

The race for Mbarara City Mayoral seat is anticipated to be a tough one and violent according to the early political rivalries among those who have already shown interest. Herbert Kamugisha, Starnley Katembeya, Dan Ruhemba, Rashid Mukasa, Kajungu Mungywereza Godwin Ninsiima are among other candidates eying for the City Mayor seat come 2026.

It is alleged that over the weekend, Mbwatekamwa held a private meeting in Mbarara Town with a section of Councilors from the two Divisions, Mbarara City South and Mbarara City North where each Councilor went back home with a package of UGX 100,000 from Mbwatekamwa  as facilitation.