Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) flagbearer for Ruhaama County in Ntungamo District, Alex Kamara, has pledged to restore the party’s legacy of service delivery and social justice, vowing to tackle disparities in education, civil service pay, and human rights if elected to Parliament.
In an interview, Kamara — the only UPC candidate in Ntungamo — said his decision to contest under the party’s banner was driven by its historic contributions to Uganda’s development, particularly in the health and education sectors.
“UPC built Itojo Hospital and Muntuyera High School in Ntungamo. In just eight years, it established 24 referral hospitals and 32 secondary schools across the country. It’s far ahead compared to NRM,” he said.
“This is what inspired me to come on the UPC ticket.”
He said his campaign seeks not only to represent the people of Ruhaama but also to revive the strength and credibility of UPC in southwestern Uganda.
“Ruhaama people should trust in me. I have come to revive them and revive UPC as well,” Kamara said.
“Having been fielded as a Member of Parliament candidate is an indicator that the party is trying to come back.”
Kamara’s manifesto prioritizes fairness in civil service pay, especially for teachers, whom he said have long suffered from disparities in remuneration and incentives.
“Given a chance to go to Parliament, I will advocate for equality across all civil servants, especially teachers. This inequality has brought discrimination and demoralization,” he said.
He also criticized the government’s implementation of free education, arguing that it has failed to meet its goals.
“There is a problem of school dropouts. The government has introduced free education, but it’s only good on paper. Implementation is still failing because there is no single school where there is truly free education,” Kamara said.
“There is classism in education between the rich and the poor.”
Beyond education, Kamara vowed to champion the protection of fundamental human rights, saying many citizens still face violations at both local and national levels.
“I will also use Parliament to advocate for the protection of fundamental human rights,” he said.
Kamara will face six other contenders in the Ruhaama County parliamentary race: Richard Barungi (Independent), Eugenia Kakajara (Independent), Gaurd Kamara (NUP), Gerald Muchurezi (ANT), Henry Nkwasibwe Zinkuratire (Independent), and Beatrice Rwakimari (NRM).
