Nandala Mafabi! The Accountant Who Wants to Rebalance Uganda’s Future
James Nathan Nandala Mafabi enters the presidential race as one of Uganda’s most enduring opposition figures, a man whose political life has been built patiently inside Parliament rather than through sudden populist waves. For more than two decades, he has represented Budadiri West County in Sironko District, earning national recognition as a former Leader of the Opposition and long-serving Secretary General of the Forum for Democratic Change, roles that placed him at the center of Uganda’s struggle for accountable governance.
Born in Busamaga village in eastern Uganda in 1966, Nandala Mafabi’s early life was shaped by hardship and political uncertainty. His father, a respected teacher, was forced into exile during the Idi Amin regime, briefly uprooting the family to Kenya before young Nandala returned home to complete his education under the care of relatives. Those close to him recall a sharp, disciplined student whose brilliance stood out even in rural schools, laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to learning and public service.
His academic record reflects a rare combination of technical skill and legal training. Educated at Mbale Secondary School and Busoga College Mwiri, he later joined Makerere University, earning qualifications in statistics, economics, education, and law, alongside a master’s degree in economics. He also qualified as a chartered accountant, credentials that would later distinguish him in Parliament as one of the opposition’s most formidable voices on public finance and accountability.
Before elective politics, Nandala Mafabi built a solid career at the Uganda Revenue Authority, where he rose steadily from tax assessor to senior principal revenue officer and acting chief internal auditor. That experience gave him firsthand insight into how government raises and spends money, as well as how corruption and inefficiency drain public resources. It is a background that has consistently informed his confrontational stance on waste, misuse of funds, and weak oversight.
Elected to Parliament in 2001, he quickly established himself as a serious legislator, chairing key committees such as the Committee on the Economy and later the Public Accounts Committee. His time as Leader of the Opposition elevated him to national prominence, where he coordinated opposition strategy and became a relentless critic of President Museveni’s administration. Within the FDC, even after losing an internal leadership contest, his influence remained strong through his role as Secretary General.
At the heart of his presidential bid is a sharp critique of Uganda’s economic direction. Nandala Mafabi argues that corruption, poverty, and injustice have combined to lock millions of Ugandans out of opportunity. He insists that peace without jobs is meaningless, pointing to widespread youth unemployment, school dropouts, and families trapped in subsistence living despite decades of government programs meant to reduce poverty.
His economic vision centers on production, not consumption, with agriculture-led industrialization as the main engine of job creation. He proposes strengthening cooperatives, investing in agro-processing, reviving traditional cash crops, and ensuring farmers are paid fairly and on time. He also blames high interest rates on excessive government borrowing and believes state-led investment can reduce the cost of capital while protecting producers from predatory lending.
Beyond economics, Nandala Mafabi calls for far-reaching governance reforms, including restoring term and age limits, reducing presidential powers, strengthening judicial independence, and professionalizing the police and army. Known personally as a humble, deeply religious family man with a reputation for generosity across faiths, he presents himself as a familiar but serious alternative. As Uganda approaches another decisive election, Nandala Mafabi is betting that experience, discipline, and economic competence can finally persuade voters to choose change over continuity.
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