Boosting revenue with customs collection tops Mafabi's agenda for Busia residents
“Under my government, Busia will get a higher percentage of all the customs revenue collected through the Busia border; we can’t collect trillions when the roads are not tarmacked; no, Busia will benefit a lot."
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential aspirant ames Nathan Nandala Mafabi campaigns in Lumino Town Council, Majanji Sub-county, Busia District. (Photos by Alfred Ochwo)
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Busia town came to a standstill as an over 70-car convoy from both the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag-bearer James Nathan Nandala Mafabi and local FDC leaders invaded the district on day 17 of the presidential campaigns.
Mafabi, who clocked in the district at exactly 12:30pm, began with a procession throughout the Busia municipality despite attempts by security to block him from accessing the main town.
At Bukobe trading centre and Lumino town council, the young people asked the presidential hopeful what his plan was on the mistreatment and unfair handling by soldiers and Uganda Revenue Authority officials who keep arresting them and at times shooting them in confusion over illegal cross-border trade.
“Even if they find you carrying five kilogrammes on a motorcycle, they ask you where you got it and a permit that allows you to transact from cross-border trade,” Hussein Kakaire, the aspiring Busia Municipality Member of Parliament on the FDC ticket, said on behalf of cheerful youth.
Kakaire noted that the young people throughout Busia are no longer proud of being on the border because whoever tries to engage in any trade is arrested, and yet they used to benefit a lot, as it was easier to cross to Kenya.
“If you try crossing, they will ask for documents which are hard to get, like a trading permit and then your identity card. When we present the National IDs, they say they are fake. Then if one is successful, it comes with a lot of taxes that we can't afford,” he said.
More investment
Mafabi, who began his main rally at Mugungu playground in Busia town, noted that 70% of the goods pass at the Busia Border and asked them what they benefit, a thing he said will stop under his government.
“Under my government, Busia will get a higher percentage of all the customs revenue collected through the Busia border; we can’t collect trillions when the roads are not tarmacked; no, Busia will benefit a lot. We will ease movement at the border because this requires a mere talk with our neighbouring counterparts,” Mafabi said.
Mafabi also asked the people of Busia to recall his ancestral background, which dates back to Eastern Uganda and requested them to vote for the son of their own.
“In my government, we will not allow Indians to do jobs that are meant to be for Ugandans, jobs of just shillings five million will be left for local entrepreneurs, and then investors will have to work on bigger investments,” Mafabi said.
Teachers and school fees
Mafabi promised that under his government, all teachers will be heavily paid and will all have to earn the same salaries based on the grade, but not the subject they teach.
“Our manifesto will pay school fees for the children of key sectors like teachers and doctors until university, we will listen to the people and address their needs,” he rallied.
Nabulindo Jane kwoba, the aspiring Woman MP Busia on the FDC ticket, told New Vision Online that for long, they (Busia) have voted for the National Resistance Movement party, but the district doesn’t benefit.
However, New Vision Online verified the claim of not benefiting from the NRM government as false, as several SACCOS have benefited from poverty alleviation initiatives under the NRM government under programmes like PDM, Emyooga and the Youth Livelihood funds. Many of these programmes are in hundreds of millions per district.
Mafabi was heavily welcomed by many area candidates campaigning on the FDC flag from all levels, and this to many FDC leaders, including Amin Sadic (the son of former President Idi Amin), the head of security for FDC and the incumbent Busia mayor, who described the mood as a statement that FDC will claim Busia district come January 2026.