The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Presidential candidate James Nathan Nandala Mafabi has urged the Electoral Commission to allow people watch their votes after casting them in the January elections.

“Why should you chase people? They took about seven months asking people to register, there were only 600,000 who registered, just within a few days, recently, when they called, they have registered up to 3.5 million people again. That shows a clear sign that the Electoral Commission is already rigging election” he said.

Nandala added, “We want to advise them, this country belongs to all of us, we don’t want our country to go in flames, let us have a true vote. Let the one who wins, win it very, very objectively, allow people to watch their vote””.

Nandala who made the remarks while responding to media ,on the recent electoral commission directive to people to go home after casting their votes during his campaign at Central Market in Entebbe municipality on Thursday, further questioned the essence of chasing people away from the polling stations yet regulations allow them to observe the exercise from a recommended distance.

“Why are you chasing people from the polling station? What do you want to do that you don’t want people to see? They are fearing that when people see what they are doing, they will know the election wasn’t free and fair” Nandala noted.

Nandala further advised the Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, to allow the Ugandans watch their vote.

“If you don’t want them to watch, then say there’s no election, declare the person you want and that’s what they should do. I am advising everybody, don’t go away, how many are they? I will tell the people of Uganda, it is time you guard your vote. Don’t go away, because in any case, you’re already dying of poverty. You’d rather die while watching your vote” he said.

While addressing supporters in Entebbe, Nandala promised to revive the country’s economy through improving the country’s infrastructure and providing accessible capital to women, youth and small entrepreneurs.

“The roads, infrastructure is very bad, people are crying lack of water, there are so many street children, there are so many poor mothers of ours who are working in markets but working for moneylenders, Uganda is in dire need of help” he noted.

“Poverty is all natural and the number of people who are suffering in Uganda currently, 86% are suffering, are beggars, it is only 14% who are a bit better and that’s those who are really managing to help the 86%”.

Nandala further accused government of allowing moneylenders to operate freely while making abnormal profits from the already vulnerable poor citizens, leading to more poverty across the country.

“The whole president allows moneylenders to be in the whole country and they are everywhere, but they come from one region, which is very unfortunate, I don’t know why they say that that region is the only one which has money, it’s unfortunate” he said.

Nandala further noted that he has a master plan to get Ugandans out of poverty by reviving the country’s currency which is currently overvalued.

“I am the only one who has a formula, this money which is in houses of people, it is easily cleared, that’s the advice we gave Modi in India. We said, let everyone put their money on their account, which we told this government, if you put your money on your account, when you are withdrawing, you draw new currency, you don’t withdraw old currency” he said.

He added, “We give you a deadline, many people who have billions and billions in their houses are not going to bring it. You know why? They will be asked, Where did you get this money, the money which will be frozen there and then, and you will get new currency, which is fair,” he said

Stories Continues after ad

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has dismissed reports suggesting that its presidential candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will take part in a televised presidential debate scheduled for Sunday 30th and organised by NTV Uganda. 

The party was scheduled on Thursday, November 27, 2025, after an advert circulated on social media listing Museveni among the expected participants.

In the statement, the NRM said it only received the invitation on 21 November 2025, by which time the Electoral Commission had already approved and released the official campaign programme.

The party argued that the debate was never presented for prior consultation with candidates and was not included anywhere in the EC-sanctioned schedule.

“Our attention has been drawn to an advert circulating on social media purporting to organise a Presidential Debate and suggesting that the NRM Presidential Candidate will take part,” the party noted.

The party added,“Such a debate was neither brought to the prior consideration of the candidates nor included in the EC-approved programme.”

The NRM further clarified that its candidate would not prepare for or participate in a debate that does not form part of the official campaign roadmap. 

“Our Presidential Candidate is therefore not preparing to participate in any such debate,” the statement read.

Despite the NRM’s withdrawal, the televised debate is expected to feature all the other seven approved presidential candidates. These include Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, who has already confirmed his attendance; Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change; Gen. Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation; Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party; Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party; Mubarak Munyagwa of the Common Man’s Party; and Frank Bulira of the Revolutionary People’s Party.

Campaign activities across the country remain intense. Bobi Wine is today heading to Jinja, where large crowds are expected as he continues his mobilisation drive in Busoga sub-region. 

President Museveni, meanwhile, is campaigning in Kiruhura, a district central to the NRM’s historical support base. His messages in the region have focused on stability, economic growth, and the party’s long-term development record. He has also been reinforcing the need to protect the gains made over the years.

Other candidates are similarly crisscrossing the country with their messages of reform, accountability and transformation. 

Stories Continues after ad

Leaders of the National Unity Platform (NUP) have come out to condemn the alleged shooting of one of their supporters in both legs as the party’s Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine campaigns in Kayunga District.

The Party Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi, in a post via his X account (formerly Twitter), condemned the alleged shooting of yet to be yet-to-be-identified middle-aged man as he waved to Bobi Wine.

“This middle-aged man has been shot in both legs at Bukoloto-Kayunga. He was standing at a distance, waving at our Presidential Candidate as we headed to our first rally in Kayunga. This madness is at another level altogether!!” Ssenyonyi posted.

The NUP Principal Bobi Wine while critiquing the incident alleged that Police has been using live ammunitions and teargas to disperse his supporters in Kayunga district.

“The shameless criminals in security uniform have began their usual barbaric behavior. They are using live ammunition and tear gas to try to demobilize us. They have shamelessly injured this innocent civilian whose sole crime is none other than supporting us. For how long shall these shameless people brutalize and provoke us?” he posted.

The police and sister security agencies have in the past weeks of the electoral campaigns intensified operations against supporters of the National Unity Platform in different parts of the country.

By the time of this publication, the police had not yet reported the incident in Kayunga District.

Stories Continues after ad

The Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga has condemned the continued Police Brutality on supporters of opposition candidate supporters in the ongoing election campaigns.

Premier Mayiga in a post on his X account on Thursday urged the security agencies to be nonpartisan as they carry out their work and called for a review of the Police ban on processions during the campaigns.

“Once again, I urge police/ security agencies to keep law and order in a non-violent and non-partisan manner during this campaign period” he said.

He added, “”It’s unrealistic to ban processions of supporters. Political rallies are not prayer meetings to which worshippers go calmly. Political rallies are about excitement. And with Uganda’s public transport (boda boda) it’s unrealistic to expect supporters to move to campaign venues quietly. Ensure supporters don’t harm others, but let them be”.

Mayiga further urged the security personnel to think about the country’s image as they unleash terror on opposition on supporters.

“Bullets; tear gas; dogs! These make the Pearl of Africa bleed! CPM” he said.

Premier Mayiga’s warning comes on a growing condemnation of the police’s actions by a large section of the public including human rights activists and the Uganda Law Society (ULS).

The ULS Vice President Asiimwe Anthony condemned the unleashing of dogs, use of tear gas, violent dispersals and forceful arrests of civilians on National Unity Platform UNUP) supporters in Kawempe on Monday as a crowd control measure by security forces.

“Historically, police dog deployment during public protests carries a deeply oppressive legacy. During apartheid, South African police developed a “terrifying police-dog regime” as a tool of the White supremacists to enforce racial segregation and suppress resistance from Black populations.

During the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, police unleashed dogs on peaceful demonstrators including children and many sustained injuries. These canine attacks were not accidental, they were symbolic demonstrations of state power intended to instill terror, suppress dissent, dehumanize and humiliate Black communities” he said.

Asiimwe noted that the deployment of police dogs in political rallies today reflects a continuity with colonial and apartheid-era practices in which animals are weaponised to instill fear and enforce authoritarian control.

“ULS therefore calls for an immediate and unconditional halt to the use of police dogs in any political rally or campaign. The immediate release of all innocent civilians arrested arbitrarily in Kawempe during the campaign events. Compliance with constitutional policing standards that respect human dignity and uphold the rights of all Ugandans regardless of their political affiliation” he said.

Stories Continues after ad