MP Mbwatekamwa Gaffa; on love for dogs and his unusual name

Kampala, Uganda | AGNES E NANTABA | Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, the Kasambya County Member of Parliament (NRM) has a surprising and uncommon family name. The name; Mbwatekamwa has a long story, he says, as he only acquired it in his high school days.

As a child, he was named Luis Gaffa. But 17 years ago, while at St. Michael High School in Bushenyi, western Uganda, he led a strike against a head teacher who tried to initiate a love relationship with a student.

The strike would lead into suspension and arrest of 43 students. As the leader, he says, he secured a bicycle, rode 40Km from school to the police station to have his colleagues released. At the station, however, the officers on duty indirectly asked for a bribe to release the suspects. He says he did not have money and used the Ushs200 on him to make a call to a prominent person in the area who eventually ordered the students released. But even with the `order from above’, the officers still wanted a bribe. In frustration, he reminded that “You cannot milk a dog” which is “mbwatekamwa” in the local language.

When his fellow students heard the story, they turned it into his nickname and Mbwatekamwa stuck.

Born Gaffa Luis, it took Mbwatekamwa sometime to change the names to what he is today.

Even when he became a presenter of a political talk show on radio in Mubende district, Mbwatekamwa proved to be the best name. He says listeners easily referred to him more by that nickname than by his real names. This prompted him to start on the process of changing names to Mbwatekamwa Gaffa and this meant deleting Luis.

“I didn’t know the real meaning of Luis so I chose to keep traditional names,” he says.

Mbwatekamwa says he initially was not interested in national politics as he feared being influenced by decisions of any party or other individual. He had seen it happen when he was a district councilor. But when he shifting from Bushenyi to Mubende district, he supported his predecessor who; according to him, failed to deliver on his promises. So, in the 2016 elections, Mbwatekamwa decided to run for the Kasambya County parliamentary seat and he won. Just two years into his five-year term, however, he is uncertain about standing for a second term.

“If I am to stand again, I will first consult with the family,” he says.

Mbwatekamwa is among the nine MPs from the ruling party who openly opposed the constitutional amendment in 2017 to remove the 75-year age limit so that President Yoweri Museveni can be eligible to run.

He says he and other so-called `rebel MPs’ are seen as black sheep of the family who have been threatened they could lose party membership. But he says the party can only fight back in 2021 if he is to contest again.

He recently was among MPs who criticised the government’s handling of the fallout from the Arua Municipality by-election and torture and jailing of several MPs. He visited his colleague, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, dressed in a red overall labeled “We are fighting for Freedom”.  He says he is not afraid of the implications of the move.

“The party can hate me more but irrespective of political differences, we are all Ugandans of the same blood,” he says.

“I don’t see a future for my party because if you can make allegations, concoctions, and insinuate against the opposition, it is a sign of decay,” he adds.

In seeking to justify his move, Mbwatekamwa says that during the age limit constitutional amendment fracas in September 2017 in parliament, he was among the MP’s who were brutalised but none of the party members paid him a visit. It is the leadership of opposition party, DP president Nobert Mao, who visited the legislator in hospital. This, according to him, sent a signal that an attack on an MP is true irrespective of the party.

“People power is not a party but a pressure group so irrespective of party, I believe that people have the power to choose their own leader,” he said.

“We are soon running way from the party because of the way our leader handles matters,” he says.

Mbwatekamwa is the fifth born of the six children of John and Jolly Gaffa (RIP). He attended St Michael High School for both ordinary and Advanced level, Kyambogo University for a diploma in secondary education and a bachelor degree in Guidance and Counseling. In 2013, he graduated with a Masters of Management Studies from Kyambogo University.

He is married to Atuhiire Dona and they have four children.