MBALE, Uganda — Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi secured a firm second-place finish in his home region in Uganda’s Jan. 15 election, leveraging local ties against President Yoweri Museveni’s national dominance.
Mafabi, the long-serving member of parliament for Budadiri West County in Sironko District and chairman of the Bugisu Co-operative Union (BCU), drew on deep roots in the coffee-growing region to rally support.
The veteran economist, who has worked with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, has championed farmer welfare, agricultural value addition and anti-corruption — key issues in an area where coffee cooperatives are central to the economy.
Bugisu Sub-region, with 843,975 registered voters across 2,217 polling stations in seven districts, has historically been competitive for the opposition. Provisional Electoral Commission figures from nearly fully tallied districts show Museveni leading the region with 273,724 votes (61.24%) of 446,961 valid votes counted. Mafabi placed second with 102,004 votes (22.82%), ahead of National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, who received 66,711 votes (14.93%).
District results underscore Mafabi’s foothold. In Bulambuli District, he garnered 15,275 votes (30.12%) to Museveni’s 30,840 (60.8%). In his parliamentary base of Sironko District, Mafabi secured 27,010 votes (29.98%) behind Museveni’s 53,549 (59.43%).
In Budadiri West, which Mafabi has represented since 2001, he polled 13,853 votes (29%), with Museveni ahead at 28,223 votes. Mafabi carried only Buwalasi Sub-county there, edging Museveni 1,043 votes (45.37%) to 1,007 (43.8%).
Mbale City was the sole area in Bugisu where Mafabi trailed Bobi Wine. Museveni led there with 34,183 votes, followed by Bobi Wine with 25,238 and Mafabi with 8,402.
A discrepancy emerged in Manafwa District, where the commission portal indicated full tallying from all 265 stations, but detailed checks showed no votes reported from Bubulo County West. Electoral Commission staff declined to comment, citing restrictions that reserve explanations for commission members.
Nationally, Museveni maintains a substantial lead in provisional results, with Bobi Wine second and Mafabi far behind in broader tallies.
