Apac, Uganda: The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, has launched his fiercest attack yet on the ruling NRM government, accusing it of intentionally collapsing Uganda’s once-thriving industrial and cooperative systems and plunging regions like Lango into persistent poverty.
Addressing massive crowds at Mayor’s Garden in Apac Municipality and later Ayago Market in Apoi Sub-county, Nandala said the Lango Sub–region was robbed of its economic lifeline when key factories and cooperatives were “run down, sold off, or deliberately abandoned under NRM’s watch.”
“Lira Spinning Mill is gone, the Starch Factory is gone, the cotton ginneries are gone, and no one in government cares,” Nandala told supporters. “These were not just buildings; they fed families, empowered farmers and sustained the regional economy.”
Nandala pledged that an FDC government would reopen, modernize and operationalize the collapsed factories, rebuild cotton production, and revive cooperative unions to shield farmers from predatory moneylenders.
“All cooperative unions will be revived. Cotton will return to benefit farmers, not middlemen,” he said. “When cooperative banks existed, farmers never suffered like this. Today, moneylenders are eating our people alive.”
On cattle compensation, Nandala dismissed government pledges as dishonest political theatre, insisting Lango, Acholi and Teso have been denied justice.
“The people of Lango were great cattle keepers until their animals were stolen. The government has no real plan for compensation,” he said. He scoffed at President Museveni’s proposal to give five cows per household.
“To give five cows to every household in Lango, Acholi, and Teso means over 20 million cows. They cannot manage that. If they are serious, give people money and let them decide.”
“Forty Years, Same Poverty”
Nandala accused NRM of recycling programmes that fail to lift Ugandans out of poverty. “Entandikwa, Prosperity for All, PDM, UWEP, Youth Livelihood Fund, over ten programmes and poverty keeps growing,” he said. “NRM has many slogans but no solutions.”
He pledged that an FDC government would inject Shs 100 million into every village annually, saying this direct financing model would “return life to the economy.”
Nandala claimed Uganda loses Shs 10 trillion annually to corruption, while citizens are “taxed on everything, including soap, meat and even the unborn child.” If elected, he promised to allocate Shs 10 trillion each to education, health and road infrastructure.
On the elderly grant, the FDC candidate criticized the Shs 25,000 monthly stipend for senior citizens as “insulting,” saying FDC would raise it to Shs 60,000. “Our elders deserve dignity, not tokenism,” he said.
Nandala condemned the militarization of fishing zones and promised sweeping reforms. “The army has no business chasing fishermen. Police can maintain order. Soldiers must leave the lakes,” he said. “Fishing communities deserve respect, not harassment.”
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