In Bundibugyo, Nandala promises to revive cooperative unions to benefit cocoa farmers
Mafabi pledged to set up a cocoa value addition factory in the region to not only provide a market for cocoa harvests but also guide farmers on good farming.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flagbearer campaigning at Rugendabara trading center, a community center in Kitswambu, Busongora County, Western Uganda. This is his second mini rally for day seven. (Photos by Alfred Ochwo)
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Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flagbearer, has promised to restore farmers’ cooperative unions to boost the production and marketing of cocoa.
Mafabi is campaigning in Rwenzori sub-region after wrapping up his Busoga trail.
He camped in Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts on Saturday (October 4), where he rallied the Bampa and Bakonzo people to support him, saying he has successfully managed the Bugisu Cooperative Union, which provides a market to coffee farmers in the region.
Bundibugyo is one of the leading cocoa-growing districts in Uganda, with its residents heavily dependent on the crop.
Using his coffee-growing knowledge and expertise, the FDC presidential candidate promised a revival of cocoa's reputation and to turn it into western Uganda’s main cash crop.
“I am a coffee farmer, and Bugisu Cooperative Union is still running and benefiting many people in eastern Uganda. They have removed all other coffee unions, but ours is standing strong. I am going to set up the same structure of cocoa here," rallied Nandala.
He also pledged to set up a cocoa value addition factory in the region to not only provide a market for cocoa harvests but also guide farmers on good farming.
Although he was stopped from accessing urban centres like Bundibugyo town, Nandala's main rallies in Bundibugyo and Ntoroko attracted sizeable crowds. The western region has long been a bastion for the National Ruling Movement (NRM).
Jackson Musema, the FDC Bundibugyo district chairperson, asked Nandala to unite the people in the region the moment he gets in power.
“In 2004, we had a tribal conflict between Bamba and Bakonzo. The tension is still there and growing every day, and this is being fueled by politicians. We ask our president to unite us because we do not want to lose lives again," he told New Vision.
Dr Nickolas Bogere, the incoming FDC flagbearer for Bughendera constituency, which has just been carved out of Bundibugyo as a new district, asked Nandala to revive the cocoa crop superiority, especially in prices and market, as it was before.
Bogere noted that 90% of the people in the region are cocoa farmers, and the only reward he can give them for supporting him is making sure people get good money out of the crop.
Currently, a kilogramme of cocoa is sh10,000, down from sh42,000 back in the day.
“We have a new district, but we lack the facilities such as a hospital. We do not have a Health Centre III and IV. We have terrible roads, no power in 80% of the district and the 20% that has it, it's unstable. We believe Nandala will work on them first."
