FDC presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi has rejected the outcome of Uganda’s recently concluded presidential elections, accusing the state of widespread electoral malpractice, abuse of public resources, and institutional failures that compromised the vote.
Speaking to the media in Mbale on Tuesday, Mafabi thanked his campaign team and supporters for their resilience under what he described as harsh and unequal campaign conditions.
He said his team traversed the country on poor roads while competing against a ruling party candidate who benefited from extensive state support.
“We moved across the whole country in a very hostile environment. We got stuck in waterlogged roads while one of the candidates was using public resources and flying across the country,” Mafabi said.
He argued that the election results did not reflect the will of the people, claiming the outcome was predetermined and that many opposition supporters were discouraged from voting due to a lack of confidence in the process.
“Many people told us there was no need to vote because the results were already decided,” he said, adding that his officially declared share of 1.88 percent did not match the support he witnessed during the campaign.
Mafabi questioned the credibility of voter turnout figures released by the Electoral Commission, noting that while about 10 million voters reportedly cast ballots, a significant number of registered voters did not participate.
“Either the register is wrong or there is deep voter apathy,” he said, attributing the low turnout largely to public belief that the election process was compromised.
The FDC leader also accused the Electoral Commission of acting as a tool of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), arguing that prolonged leadership under President Yoweri Museveni had weakened democratic institutions.
“A leader who stays in power for 45 years destroys institutions,” Mafabi said, disputing claims that Museveni had secured a seventh term and arguing that it amounted to a ninth term based on Uganda’s five-year electoral cycles.
He further criticised electoral technologies, including the biometric voter verification system, saying failures on polling day disenfranchised voters despite significant public expenditure.
“Over 70 million dollars was spent, yet machines failed on voting day. No one has been held accountable,” Mafabi said.
Mafabi also alleged heavy deployment of security forces during the elections and irregularities in vote counting and tallying, questioning whether the exercise qualified as a genuine election.
“Was this an election, or just a process to retain power illegally?” he asked.
Despite rejecting the overall outcome, Mafabi said the FDC secured nine Members of Parliament, though he claimed the figure did not fully reflect the party’s support.
He concluded by urging Ugandans to remain hopeful, saying political power is not permanent and the country belongs to its citizens.
“All leaders come and go. Uganda is ours,” Mafabi said.
