Nandala Mafabi promises relief to elderly in Kween

________________

After holding successful rallies in the Lango sub-region, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, on Monday, October 13, turned his attention to eastern Uganda, his birth region.

Mafabi began his rallies in Kween district, where he was warmly welcomed as a “son of the soil”.

Among the issues raised by residents were concerns from vulnerable elderly people who appealed to their own to consider them, particularly by providing allowances to help sustain themselves.

"We are happy to have our own son, and we hope once we put you in office, you will give us some money. The NRM Government promised to be giving us money but however much its small, but it has also not come in. We always see some in other areas get it on TV, but no one in our district has gotten the money. Even with the PDM, we are not considered because of our age, and yet we also have grandchildren to look after," Winfrey Akello told Mafabi during the rally held at Ngenge.

Kween, a district that was carved out of Kapchorwa, faces numerous challenges, including poor feeder roads, water shortages, where animals and people share water sources, and a struggling education sector.

Mafabi, smiling joyfully at the warm reception, told the people of Kween that he intends to restructure the PDM funds into a village model, where each village would receive sh100 million to ensure everyone benefits from the programme.

"My government will reduce the ageing beneficiary years from 80 to 60 because we know at 60 years, one is tired and can no longer be productive. I am also going to make it sh100,000 per month, four times more than what is given by the government," Mafabi responded.

The Ugandan government currently pays elderly citizens sh25,000 per month through the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) programme, which benefits those aged 80 and above. The stipend is disbursed via mobile money transfers, and beneficiaries are selected based on age and financial need.

According to the 2024 UBOS census, Kween has a population of 129,277 people, a figure that could influence who runs the country for the next five years. The district, part of the Sebei region, still faces human rights challenges rooted in cultural beliefs, which Mafabi did not extensively address during his rally.

The Sebei people have historically supported the NRM government and have voted overwhelmingly for President Yoweri Museveni in the past three elections. However, Mafabi and his FDC team hope to leverage his ancestral roots to attract more votes than the incumbent.

Before leaving Kween district for Bukwo, Mafabi also held rallies at Bukwo Market and Matimba trading centre.