Kabale Municipality Residents were treated to drama as area Member of Parliament Dr. Nicholas Kamara and his Rubabo County counterpart Hon. Naboth Namanya declined to buy President Yoweri Museveni’s portrait at a Church fundraising ceremony.
It all started when the Kabale District Woman MP Hon. Catherine Atwakiire Ndamira was charged with converting President Museveni’s portrait into cash at a ceremony that was aimed at raising funds for the construction of St. Charles Lwanga Rutooma Catholic Church under Kabale Catholic Diocese.
Ndamira began by telling Dr. Kamara who was the Chief Guest, Rubabo County MP Namanya and Kabale Municipality Mayor Sentaro Byamugisha that even if they FDC party members, the NRM led by President Museveni were capable of sabotaging their election to Parliament, but only chose to let them win based on individual merit.
“You came raising your symbolic two fingers, and we did not interrupt you. So now it’s time you return the courtesy by buying this portrait,” Ndamira said.
However, after a long period of demands from Ndamira, Hon. Namanya refused to contribute anything while Dr. Kamara contributed Ugx 20,000.
The situation was saved by the Former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda’s Political Assistant Emmanuel Bigirwa who offered to buy the portrait at UgX 500,000. Ndamira contributed another 500,000 while Mayor Sentaro added 100,000 to make it 1.1 million.
In his Speech, Namanya hailed Dr. Kamara for resisting the temptation to buy Museveni’s portrait despite being the Chief Guest at the ceremony.
Hon. Namanya said that for a long time, the opposition had been tagged as poor politicians and therefore they couldn’t waste their resources on Museven’s portrait. He contributed Ugx 1 million and bought Pope Francis’ portrait at Ugx 600,000.
“You know how they always claim that we are poor. So, I would rather spend my money on building the church through other means rather than buying the NRM principal’s portrait” Namanya said.
Speaking to journalists at the sidelines of the ceremony, Dr. Kamara said that he could have contributed less than Ugx 20,000 but did not have anything smaller than that in his pocket. He said he would have bought the portrait at Ugx 1 million or more if it belonged to Former President of the FDC Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye or the Party President Patrick Amuriat Oboi.
“They were lucky that I did not have coins in my pocket. Why do you bring the portrait of the NRM Party Chairperson for auction at a ceremony whose Chief Guest is a member of parliament elected on the FDC ticket? That was a mistake,” Kamara said.
A total of Ugx 70 million was altogether collected, Ugx 40.5 million cash and Ugx 29.5 million in pledges. Dr. Kamara delivered Ugx 17.5 million that he collected from fellow MPs and also read out a list of other MPs who pledged a total of Ugx 18 million.
According to the Construction Committee Chairperson Godfrey Magezi, completion of the Church building which is at roofing level requires Ugx 91 million.
The Fundraising ceremony at Rutooma Hill was presided over by Rev. Fr. Fred Birungi, the Priest of Christ the King Parish under Kabale Diocese.