KAMPALA, Uganda – James Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the FDC presidential candidate, on Saturday, November 29, 2025, unveiled a comprehensive master plan to transform Kampala into a clean, organized, economically vibrant, and people-centered capital.
Speaking during a campaign tour across Makindye Division visiting Kiruddu, Salaama Road, Nsambya, Kabalagala, and Kulekaana, Nandala described Kampala as “the worst city in the whole world” and attributed its decline to poor leadership and neglected infrastructure.
He highlighted the city’s ongoing waste management crisis, noting the accumulation of thousands of tonnes of garbage daily and blocked drainage channels.
“We are not going to borrow from the World Bank to clean our city. Our city must be cleaned by its own leadership,” Nandala said.
He pledged to prioritize waste collection, recycling, and the conversion of garbage into usable products such as fertilizer and road-building materials.
“I have seen it work in many countries. We shall make garbage collection efficient and turn waste into fertilizer and even roads. Nothing will go to waste,” he added.
Beyond sanitation, Nandala outlined his broader economic vision, emphasizing that high taxes stifle small businesses and reduce disposable income. He also expressed concern about youth unemployment, which he said drives idleness, gambling, and street life. He promised a major job creation initiative to ensure every Ugandan has a dignified source of income.
With Kampala’s rapidly growing population, Nandala stressed the need to decongest the capital. His plan includes establishing industries across all 21 sub-regions of Uganda to reduce pressure on the city.
“Kampala will remain an industrial hub, but this will be expanded in Wakiso, where there is ample land. If businesses operate outside the city, people will spread out,” he said.
On healthcare, Nandala criticized public clinics for failing to provide essential medicines and scans, and pledged support for small businesses in Kampala’s informal markets through affordable credit, refrigeration facilities, and seed capital.
“Kampala’s mothers deserve modern working conditions,” he said.
He also vowed to address predatory lending practices by regulating moneylenders, improving access to formal credit, and protecting vulnerable households
A central focus of Nandala’s plan is the rehabilitation of roads and drainage systems.
“The most important priorities are drainage, roads, and sanitation. Management is the biggest issue. We have a mayor who will win, and his first task will be drainage. The government will fully support him,” he said.
Several FDC candidates campaigning alongside Nandala echoed his message. Ibrahim Kasozi, the party’s Lord Mayor flag bearer, said Kampala needs a leader who “doesn’t just talk but acts.”
Minawa Farouk, FDC candidate for Kampala Central, emphasized the need for long-term structural solutions rather than temporary fixes.
“We need leadership that plans for people, not one that waits for disaster to act,” he said.
Dinja Zubairi, councillor for LC3 Kisenyi Parish II, highlighted residents’ frustrations with poor waste management and insecurity.
“If garbage is collected properly and roads are improved, our lives will change,” she said.
Lubega Francis, FDC flag bearer for Makindye West, stressed that unemployment and high taxes are crippling small businesses.
“Nandala’s plan to cut taxes and create jobs is exactly what Kampala needs. People want to work, but they need a government that supports them,” he said.
Nandala’s remarks come less than two years after Kampala was recognized among Africa’s top cities for its vibrancy, lifestyle, and inclusivity. The city has made significant progress, with over 85% of roads completed under the Kampala City Roads and Bridges Upgrading Project (KCRBUP), a four-year €250 million project funded by UK Export Finance.
Story Source: New Vision
