The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, on Tuesday concluded his campaign rallies in Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions.
He held rallies in Ntoroko, Bundibugyo on Saturday, Kasese on Sunday, Kamwenge and Fort Portal City on Monday, while on Tuesday he headed to Kyenjojo before proceeding to Kagadi District and other districts in Bunyoro Sub-region.
However, during his four-day stay in the Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions, residents complained that his manifesto did not directly address issues affecting them.
Mr Mafabi’s manifesto gives much focus on transforming Uganda’s economy, with a slogan stating that if elected he will ensure that every citizen has ‘money in their pocket.’ The FDC candidate says his goal is to fight rampant poverty in Uganda.
Mafabi’s promise to the people
He said Uganda has many resources, but the benefits are currently enjoyed by only a small group of people, mostly in the government.
‘Our biggest problem is poverty at every level. We need a president who can fix the economy and put money directly into people’s pockets. Among all candidates, I am the only one with that knowledge. We intend to chase poverty out of Ugandan homes,’ he said on Saturday during a rally at Karugutu Trading Centre in Ntoroko District.
Mr Mafabi explained that one of his priorities will be to support small-scale businesses that often collapse under the weight of expensive bank loans.
He said his government will create a special fund to provide entrepreneurs with affordable capital to grow their enterprises.
Mr Mafabi promised that every village in Uganda would receive Shs100 million annually, and in five years, each village would benefit from Shs500m to invest in projects that raise household incomes.
‘This country loses Shs10 trillion every year through corruption. In my term of office, we shall stop that theft. Uganda has about 72,000 villages, and if we redirect that stolen money, every village will get annual funding. The balance will be given to boda boda riders,’ he said.
On education, Mr Mafabi promised to address salary disparities among teachers by introducing equal pay for equal qualifications. He also pledged to build more classrooms, staff quarters, and ensure timely pay for all civil servants.
Mr Mafabi further promised better pay and housing for security personnel, adding that his government would prioritise education of their children.
‘Security officers are not bad people, the problem is poor pay. They have families, yet their salaries are too low. We shall improve their welfare so they can serve the country effectively,’ he said.
However, some of the residents from the two sub-regions complained that Mr Mafabi’s manifesto focused much on national issues and lacked local priorities.
A section of voters who attended his last campaign rally on Monday evening at a venue on the Kamwenge-Fort Portal Road, expressed disappointment that Mafabi’s manifesto did not address the most pressing challenges affecting their communities, particularly the declining tea prices in the Tooro Sub-region.
Mr Rogers Tugume, a tea farmer from Kabarole District, said tea farming is the main source of income for many households in Tooro, but for the past three years, prices have fluctuated without any government intervention.
‘We expected him to talk about issues that affect our region. Yes, we agree he has a manifesto, but it should contain local issues. He told us he would give boda boda riders Shs5m each, which is okay… That is not our concern,’ he said.
‘If tea prices were stable, our incomes would grow and we could buy goods. But because the prices have remained low, many people have left their gardens to grow bush, and others have lost jobs,’ he explained.
In Ntoroko District, voters who attended a campaign rally on Saturday at Karugutu Trading Centre said the candidate’s manifesto focused on national issues such as education, while ignoring the persistent flooding that has devastated parts of the district since 2019.
Mr Joshua Alituha, from Kanara Sub-county, said he expected the presidential candidate to address the flood crisis and provide a clear plan for resettling affected families.
‘In Ntoroko, especially the lower sub-counties, the issue is floods. We have suffered for years since 2019, and people have demanded that the government give us land for resettlement. I was expecting Mafabi to promise that if we give him our votes, he would tell us what he would do for us.’
He added that the next president must prioritise disaster management and offer permanent solutions instead of temporary pledges.
‘Yes, he talked about building classrooms and improving teachers’ salaries, but here our schools were submerged by floods. Up to now, we don’t know the future of these schools. Some are operating in camps using tents. If he had talked about this specifically, we would know he understands our issues.’
In Bundibugyo District, residents have long demanded construction of a cocoa factory, a promise the government in about 40 years has failed to fulfil.
During his campaign in Ntandi-Bundimasoli Town, Mr Mafabi, pledged to construct the factory within two years of assuming office. Mr Alex Baluku, a resident of Ntandi Town Council, welcomed the pledge but emphasised that road infrastructure must also be addressed for the cocoa sector to thrive.
In Kasese District, it was FDC district leaders, rather than the presidential candidate, who addressed local concerns during campaign speeches. Mr Geofrey Sibendire Bigogo Thembo, the FDC candidate for district chairperson, said if elected, he would focus on resolving land conflicts that have left many residents homeless.
He pledged that under Mafabi’s regime, they would tackle the water crisis through irrigation schemes and revamp Katwe salt mining to create employment opportunities.
However, some residents expressed disappointment that the presidential candidate himself did not mention these specific local issues.
Mr Alex Bwambale, from Karusandara Sub-county, said, ‘It was our local leaders who spoke about what they want to do for us, but our president’s manifesto is full of national issues.