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BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2025
Nandala Mafabi, the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, has commended the engineering brigade of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces for taking up infrastructure projects.
“That is what armies do when there is no war. In china, the railway is constructed by the army,” he said
However, Mafabi called on the army to do the infrastructure projects such as roads at cost effective rates.
He made the remarks in Arua on Sunday during a media briefing as he continues his vote hunt in the former opposition stronghold that in recent years has flipped its support to the National Resistance Movement.
Mafabi said the UPDF taking contracts is a good thing because the money goes back to the consolidated fund and remains circulating within the economy.
Accordingly, he disagreed with the government on the awarding of contracts to foreign companies, asserting that they (foreign companies) were draining the national economy through profit repatriation.
“The foreigners after finishing the work take the money back to their countries that is why president Museveni talks about growth of the economy but you don’t see the economy growing in the Ugandans. It is growing in foreign companies!” Mafabi exclaimed.
He argued that the UPDF Engineering brigade is doing the work which should have been done by the ministry of works because the civil servants are not adequately supported to perform at peak level.
Mafabi projected that an FDC-led government will improve welfare of civil servants so that the ministry of works remains the one leading that sector while the UPDF continues with the peace time investment in the development infrastructure and medical care.
He emphasized strategic investment in infrastructure to make sure all major roads are tarmacked and contracts are prioritized to the local engineering companies.
“We want all roads tarmacked. It is unfortunate that for this government of NRM, for every 1km of road they tarmac, they still 19km yet the materials used are local – the stones, labour, sand and cement which account for 95% of the cost of road,” Mafabi claimed.
He promised to fight corruption without fear and favor to save money for investment in agriculture and job creation.
“We will invest sh100m in every village. That is sh7.2 trillion per year. If we save the sh10 trillion lost in corruption, we will still be left with a balance of sh2 trillion,” said Mafabi.
On his part, FDC deputy president for Northern Uganda, Kaps Hassan Fungaroo expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the police and the army during the general campaigns so far.
“The standard operating procedures for election officials and law enforcement in the 2026 general elections are very clear and the police and the army have to date conducted themselves as expected,” Fungaroo said
He however put on notice the resident district commissioners (RDC) and the internal security organization (ISO) apparatus for disruptive conduct.
Fungaroo pointed out an incident at Leju town council in Terego district where an internal security operative had his phone confiscated by FDC supporters angered by his attempt to block Mafabi’s planned rally.
The former MP of Obongi County who is also plotting to recapture the parliamentary seat, blamed the overzealousness of RDCs and ISO on solicitation from weak candidates who he said are also trying to enlist the force at the disposal of the police and the army in order to upstage their opponents.
“The police have done a decent job, so far. Even the army has behaved professionally and we thank them for that,” said Fungaroo who urged the FDC supporters to remain vigilant, firm and law abiding.
