Bufumbira North: Gatare insists Kamara is a shadowy leader

Gatare Fortunate Habyara, who has expressed interest in the Bufumbira North Parliamentary seat, insists that the sitting legislator John Kamara Nizeyimana, is a shadowy leader.

Last week, Mr Habyara, a retired Commissioner of Police who has intentions to contest against Hon Kamara in the 2026 general elections, said the current MP is a shadow.

This was in response to comments made by Hon Kamara, that some of his would-be opponents in 2026 are aliens who are unknown in the constituency, and own no place of abode there.

“I think I will be unopposed in this election. Some of those who have expressed interest live in Entebbe, not in Kisoro or Bufumbira North. Their families are not here. No wife. No child. They should contest where they are,” said Hon Kamara.

Hon Kamara said he was surprised that Mr Gatare was hanging pictures in his village, which according to him indicates that he is an alien who wants to popularise himself among villagemates.

“He is now hanging posters in his village for people to see who he is; isn’t that funny” He exclaimed.

In response, Mr Gatare rebuked Kamara’s comments, saying he was a failed legislator, who he termed as a ‘shadow’.

“First of all, I can classify Hon Kamara as a shadow. If he was not a shadow, he would find out from my village mates whether I’m unknown. I also want to remind him that he has severally distributed posters in the whole constituency. Even the President’s posters are everywhere in the country,” he said.

This was however perceived as abusive language by some members of the public, who asked Mr Gatare to retract his statement.

But in a telephone interview, Mr Gatare ruled out extraction of this statement, saying he did not insult the 3-term legislator, but described him as a failed people’s representative.

According to the former Uganda Police Commissioner, Kamara has failed to represent his electorate in Parliament, with no record of him in the Hansard.

He insisted that Kamara spends all his time in the village, not in Parliament to do his legislative role.

“I wanted to tell the people of Bufumbira North that Kamara, our elected MP spends his time at Kabatera in bars, and all we have in Parliament is his shadow. Do we have Kamara in Parliament, or we have his shadow?” explained Gatare.

He asked, “Can he tell us even a single day he has risen on the floor of Parliament to legislate for us as electorate?”

Gatare, who served 37 years in Uganda Police Force, ruled out retracting his statement, saying a description is not an insult.

“I cannot retract the statement. We all know that Kamara does not step in Parliament. So, we have his shadow in Parliament, and the real Kamara is in the village. That’s a description, not an insult,” he said.

When asked whether he has ever supported Hon Kamara in his 3 terms as a Member of Parliament, Mr Gatere responded, “I never supported him, I never mobilised votes for him, and I couldn’t vote for him.”

Meanwhile, Hon Kamara told www.vomuhabura.com that Gatare’s comments are unfortunate, since he fell short of even appreciating his achievements.

The former Primary School teacher, now MP for 3 terms, claims he successfully saved public land at Busengo and Ruhangiro from grabbers.

He adds that he lobbied projects such as the Kaku-Busanza bridge, tea project, Nyateete-Busanza road, Busanza-Mupaka Market and others.

“Yes, he has referred to me as a shadow, but is it manifested by the projects I have brought for my people like the Kisoro Industrial Park and the tea factory worth over 20 billion I am about to construct?”

During the interview, Hon Kamara did not directly comment on allegations that he misses plenary sittings.

“If he thinks I don’t attend Parliament, let him go there. He should find out how popular I am among my colleagues.”

Hon Kamara is the current Chairperson Kisoro Parliamentary Group.