Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi has urged voters in the Busoga sub-region to reject what he described as ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) “vote-buying tactics,” accusing President Museveni’s government of exploiting citizens through state-funded livelihood programmes.
Addressing residents of Wandago in Mayuge District, Nandala Mafabi said initiatives such as Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model (PDM) were being used to secure political support rather than to address poverty.
He accused the government of enticing communities with short-term incentives that leave them indebted to money lenders and unable to sustain their livelihoods.
According to Nandala Mafabi, Busoga’s persistent poverty, widespread unemployment and poor infrastructure demonstrate that the programmes have failed.
He cited the region’s dusty roads, weak social services and lack of development as evidence of what he called decades of government neglect despite repeated electoral support for the NRM.
“Let the people of Busoga testify if anyone has truly benefited from these programmes,” he said, insisting the initiatives enrich a small group of politically connected individuals.
He challenged residents to question why poverty levels remain high despite government promises.
Presenting FDC’s alternative agenda, Nandala Mafabi outlined economic empowerment measures, including the revival of cooperative and agricultural banks to extend affordable credit to farmers and small traders.
He also pledged to provide graduates with start-up funds, improve access to healthcare and education, and build better housing for civil servants.
The FDC manifesto, he said, would implement “fair taxation” aimed at protecting low-income earners.
The opposition candidate argued that Busoga’s underdevelopment is a direct result of government priorities, calling on the electorate to “reject Museveni’s government” in the upcoming election. He said he has the “expertise and energy” to turn around Uganda’s economy and deliver meaningful social services.
Busoga is among Uganda’s poorest regions, with chronic unemployment and limited public infrastructure. Nandala Mafabi’s messaging targeted these longstanding grievances, portraying the NRM as incapable of delivering sustainable development. He urged voters to choose a government focused on structural reforms rather than “short-term programmes packaged as empowerment.”
The NRM has repeatedly defended initiatives such as PDM and Emyooga as pillars of grassroots wealth creation. President Museveni maintains that they are designed to lift communities into the money economy and reduce household poverty. However, opposition politicians have frequently questioned their effectiveness and transparency.