HOIMA
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nandala Mafabi has said that his administration will ensure that Uganda’s oil wealth benefits local communities and supports long-term national development, rather than being lost to debt repayment and corruption.
Speaking during a press conference at Kolping Hotel Hoima on Wednesday morning, Mafabi warned that oil could become a curse if not managed properly, and called for transparent and equitable use of the expected revenues.
“Oil should not be a curse. It is God-given and should benefit the people of Uganda,” he said. “All resources we get must be applied to productive sectors, not wasted through leakage or extravagance.”
Mafabi criticized the government for allegedly spending in anticipation of oil revenues, saying such practices could plunge the country deeper into debt.
“Most of the oil money has already been pledged in advance. The government is hoping to get oil so they can pay their loans. That’s not the best thing we should do,” he warned. “We should not pledge a valuable asset before it even comes.”
He emphasized that local communities in oil-producing areas, such as the oil-rich Bunyoro region, should be the first beneficiaries of oil projects.
“When oil revenue comes, the first beneficiaries must be the people in the local areas where it is extracted,” Mafabi said. “Government must help locals access resources to invest in hotels, entertainment, and other services to benefit from the oil economy.”
Mafabi also pledged to set aside part of the oil revenue for future generations, noting that oil reserves are finite and should be used wisely.
“When you make resources out of oil, there should be something put aside for future generations because one day, the oil will be exhausted,” he said.
Mafabi who is one of the eight candidates vying for Uganda’s presidency in the 2026 general elections, is currently trailing Bunyoro region for his campaigns. He will today (Wednesday, October 8) be campaigning in Hoima, Hoima City and Bulisa district.
