By Aggrey Baba
Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Secretary General of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), has thrown his hat into the ring for Uganda’s top political office, officially declaring his intention to s ND president Yoweri Museveni back to Rwakitura.
Speaking candidly during a live radio interview on Elgon FM in Mbale on Tuesday evening, the long-serving Budadiri West mouthpiece announced that he would run on the FDC party ticket.
His declaration marks the beginning of what could be a pivotal chapter in Uganda’s opposition politics, as fresh voices seek to unseat the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which has held power for nearly forty years.
“I’m now officially declaring my intention to run for President of Uganda in 2026. With God, all things are possible. Uganda deserves better leadership,” Mafabi said.
Mafabi, a chartered accountant by training and seasoned political operator, has long been considered one of the FDC’s most strategic minds and grassroots mobilizers. His steady political ascent from a relatively obscure MP in 2001 to Secretary General of Uganda’s second largest opposition party has been marked by consistency, loyalty to the party, and an unyielding connection to his base in eastern Uganda.
Currently, Nandala is on a nationwide mobilization tour alongside FDC party president Hon. Patrick Oboi Amuriat. The duo is conducting grassroots consultations aimed at revitalizing the party’s structures, especially in rural areas where the FDC has historically enjoyed strong support but where political fragmentation in recent years has sapped opposition momentum.
In his address, Nandala struck a nationalist tone, framing his bid not merely as a political contest, but as a calling. “Let us learn to embrace our own and uplift our people,” he told his people. “I am coming out to protect, promote, and defend our identity.”
At 32, Nandala entered Parliament as a young reformist with a background in public finance and anti-corruption activism. And now, more than two decades later, he remains a dominant political figure in his home region, where he has built a reputation as a no-nonsense MP and defender of regional interests.
His deep ties to the Bagisu community, whom he praised for standing by him when he was unknown, have formed the bedrock of his political durability.
“The people of Bugisu stood with me when I was unknown. It is their confidence that gave me the platform to now stand and ask the entire nation for support,” he said.
Nandala’s declaration positions him as one of the earliest high-profile opposition figures to formally announce a presidential bid ahead of 2026. It also potentially re-energizes FDC’s electoral machinery, which has struggled to find firm footing after years of internal rifts and leadership changes following the departure of now incarcerated Dr. Kizza Besigye from elective politics.
FDC has yet to convene its delegates’ conference to formally endorse a flag bearer, but party insiders suggest that Nandala’s announcement is likely to tilt the balance in his favour.
His longstanding influence in party structures, his regional power base, and his financial acumen give him an edge in consolidating support within and beyond the party. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
