By Ben Musanje
Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate CPA James Nathan Nandala Mafabi has revealed that his bid for the country’s top office cost him more than Shs10 billion in losses and debts, saying the campaign trail opened his eyes to the depth of poverty facing many Ugandans.
Speaking about his experiences during the 2026 election campaign, Mafabi told Journalist Edgar Batte in a YouTube channel interview that the journey across the country was one of the toughest periods of his political life, marked by difficult terrain, mechanical breakdowns, lack of food and encounters with struggling communities.
According to Mafabi, the campaign trail exposed him to realities that statistics and economic growth figures cannot adequately capture.
He said the most painful memory he carried from the exercise was not the defeat itself, but the poverty he witnessed among ordinary citizens.
Mafabi noted that despite Uganda possessing fertile soils and the ability to produce coffee, cotton, maize and other crops, many people remained trapped in poverty and had little to show for their hard work. He said countless households had become dependent on money lenders, with many losing livestock, land and other property after failing to service expensive loans.
The veteran legislator said seeing desperate communities and individuals who had once owned sizeable farms reduced to paupers left a lasting impression on him.
He added that the widespread poverty convinced him that the country’s economy was not benefiting ordinary Ugandans, arguing that economic growth was concentrated in the hands of a few while many citizens continued to struggle.
Mafabi recounted that campaigning across the country came with enormous logistical challenges, including bad roads that repeatedly disrupted their schedules and damaged vehicles.
He said his team often arrived late for rallies because roads were impassable and vehicles frequently got stuck. The delays, he noted, placed pressure on campaign activities amid strict time requirements enforced by security agencies.
One of the most difficult experiences, according to Mafabi, occurred in northern Uganda while travelling from Kitgum through Pader and Agago districts.
He recalled that several vehicles got trapped in muddy roads before the convoy encountered a flooded river on the route to Patongo. Determined to continue with the campaign programme, the team attempted to cross, only for water to damage several vehicles.
Mafabi said eight vehicles were abandoned after their engines seized from flooding, significantly reducing the size of the convoy.
He further narrated that slippery roads later caused another accident in which his personal vehicle rammed into another vehicle after it lost control. More vehicles became stuck while trying to access Lira, forcing the team to spend hours searching for equipment to pull them out.
By the end of the ordeal, he said, 11 vehicles had been rendered unusable, with some engines completely destroyed.
According to Mafabi, repairing the damaged vehicles proved costly, especially because some belonged to supporters and friends who had lent them to the campaign. He disclosed that several debts arising from repairs remained unsettled years later, while other vehicles had never returned to the road.
Eventually, he said, his own campaign vehicle also broke down, forcing him to rely on a smaller vehicle belonging to his wife.
Besides vehicle losses, Mafabi said the campaign itself demanded huge daily expenditures. He estimated that at least Shs50 million was required every day to cater for fuel, accommodation, organisers and other logistical requirements.
He noted that election day itself brought another financial burden, with thousands of polling agents requiring facilitation. Together with mobilisation structures and campaign logistics, he said the total cost and debts associated with the race exceeded Shs20 billion.
Despite the enormous financial burden, Mafabi said he remained grateful to the FDC for entrusting him with the party’s presidential flag and appreciated Ugandans who voted for him.
He admitted that the campaign consumed much of his time and kept him away from his family, although members of his household occasionally joined him on the trail and witnessed the hardships first-hand.
There were moments, he said, when the team slept on the road and sometimes went without meals because there was nowhere to buy food.
Mafabi described the campaign as exhausting but valuable, saying it became part of his life experience and political journey.
He maintained that the most enduring lesson from the campaign was the need to improve the welfare of ordinary Ugandans.
According to him, poverty remained the country’s biggest challenge and addressing it would require ensuring that people have money in their pockets and opportunities to improve their livelihoods.
Reflecting on the experience years later, Mafabi said the campaign trail gave him a deeper understanding of the country and its people than he had ever had before.
But above all, he said, one memory has stayed with him.
The former presidential candidate said he would never forget the suffering and poverty he encountered in villages across Uganda, describing it as the most touching and painful reality he witnessed during his quest for the presidency. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
