By Guest Writer
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi has urged the people of Teso to reject President Museveni’s leadership, saying Uganda needs new and energetic minds to revive its struggling economy.
Addressing supporters at Arrow Square in Soroti City, Mafabi said that each time he visits Teso, he feels at home, but he is disheartened by the poverty affecting the region despite its agricultural abundance.
He observed that while oranges and other produce are plentiful in rural areas, farmers continue to earn very little, which he blamed on exploitative middlemen and poor government policies.
He said his administration would prioritize economic reforms aimed at improving household incomes.
Mafabi reminded residents that Teso was once one of the most prosperous regions in Uganda, known for its cattle and cotton production, but has since been impoverished by government neglect.
He pledged to compensate families who lost their cows during past conflicts, referring to an existing court ruling that the current government has failed to implement.
He dismissed President Museveni’s recent promise to give five cows to each affected family as political deception meant to buy time before elections, insisting that only an FDC government would fulfill the compensation commitment.
The opposition leader also criticized the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government for mismanaging the economy, arguing that its fiscal policies have left Uganda burdened with a national debt of 150 trillion shillings.
As an economist, Mafabi said he would implement sound economic policies to stabilize the country’s finances and reduce dependence on borrowing.
He rejected Museveni’s claims linking him to debts incurred by the Bugisu Cooperative Union (BCU), challenging the president to present any evidence of corruption or financial misconduct.
Mafabi further accused the NRM government of making empty promises to the people of Teso, such as constructing roads and reviving the region’s railway line.
He said that while the government speaks of building a standard gauge railway, it has failed to maintain the one that previously existed in the area.
Turning to the health sector, Mafabi said the FDC government would ensure that all regional referral hospitals are upgraded to national hospitals and that doctors are provided with better housing and working conditions.
He added that under his administration, Ugandans would no longer need to travel abroad for treatment because all medical services would be available locally.
He also pledged to invest heavily in agriculture, saying that the FDC would ensure that farmers benefit fully from their produce through value addition.
He cited cassava as one of Teso’s key crops and said his government would establish a starch factory to help farmers earn more income.
Mafabi emphasized that Uganda’s challenges cannot be solved by a leader who has been in power for four decades, asserting that what President Museveni has failed to achieve in 40 years cannot be done in another five.
He called on the people of Teso to vote for change and support a government that prioritizes their welfare rather than empty promises.
After his campaign rally in Soroti on Sunday, Mafabi was scheduled to continue his campaign trail in West Nile, beginning with Adjumani District on Monday.
