Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer Nathan Mafabi Nandala has sharply criticized President Yoweri Museveni for prioritizing development projects in neighboring countries over domestic infrastructure, saying Ugandans are being neglected.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Kaliro District on Monday, Mafabi pointed to road construction in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and electricity expansion in South Sudan as examples of what he described as “misplaced priorities.”
“You have heard the NRM government constructing roads in Congo and South Sudan. This shows that President Museveni does not care about you. He is building roads in Congo and extending electricity to South Sudan,” Mafabi said.
He added, “How can you feed your neighbour’s child when your own child has nothing to eat? Is it because you love the neighbour’s child more?”
President Museveni has previously defended these foreign projects as vital for regional integration and market expansion across Africa.
Mafabi also criticized domestic road projects, claiming that inefficiencies lead to significant waste of taxpayers’ money.
“Even those few roads the government works on, a lot of taxpayers’ money is wasted since money meant to construct one kilometre of road can be used to construct twenty kilometres if there was the will to protect resources in the country,” he said.
During his address, Mafabi also pledged to make access to motorcycles easier for Boda boda operators, highlighting high loan costs as a barrier for many aspiring entrepreneurs. He vowed that a change in government would create opportunities for wealth generation and development across Uganda.
Former FDC presidential flag bearer Patrick Oboi Amuriat, who accompanied Mafabi on the campaign trail, urged residents to support the party’s presidential candidate.
“Mafabi is the only candidate who has taken time to reach communities at the grassroots and understand their day-to-day challenges,” Amuriat said.
He also criticized both President Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of the National Unity Platform (NUP), accusing them of “stage-managing crowds” during ongoing campaigns, suggesting their outreach does not reflect genuine engagement with voters.
The rally in Kaliro is part of Mafabi’s ongoing campaign across eastern Uganda, where the FDC is seeking to build momentum ahead of the January 15, 2026 General Election by emphasizing domestic development and addressing grassroots economic concerns.