FDC’s Nathan Nandala Mafabi has pledged to prioritise mental health care and economic recovery in northern Uganda, accusing the government of abandoning communities scarred by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict.
While campaigning in Atiak and Pabbo Town Councils in Amuru District, Mafabi said the government had failed to respond to the devastating psychological impact of the war, resulting in soaring mental health cases across the Acholi Sub-region.
He noted that studies show nearly 700 people in the region are diagnosed with mental health challenges every month—figures he described as alarming and symptomatic of wider state neglect.
“Our people suffered unimaginable trauma during the LRA war. Today, many still struggle, but the government looks on without concern. Mental health issues are driving families deeper into poverty and ignorance,” Mafabi told supporters.
Mafabi vowed to introduce targeted programmes to address trauma, unemployment and poverty if elected, saying northern Uganda deserves meaningful recovery after decades of conflict.
He also pledged to compensate victims of the LRA insurgency, including paying accrued interest on losses over the past 20 years, asserting that justice must be delivered to families that lost property and loved ones.
In addition, the FDC candidate promised support for workers who were dismissed from the Atiak Sugar Factory without benefits, saying they too deserve compensation and alternative employment opportunities.
Mafabi took aim at the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), criticising President Museveni for spending public money on campaign advertising instead of investing in productive sectors like agriculture.
“Farmers are struggling while government wastefully spends on posters. We need to use public funds to uplift communities, not entrench power,” he said.
Calling for a shift in leadership, Mafabi told Acholi residents to embrace new ideas and accountability, emphasising his long parliamentary service and experience in international economic advisory roles.
“After 25 years in Parliament and working as a World Bank adviser, I know what must be done to revive this nation. It is time for change,” he said.
