By Aggrey BabaThe opposition presidential candidates are grappling with a severe financial crisis, pleading for state funding while accusing the government of frustrating local and international donors who try to support them.The financial drought has exposed the stark imbalance between NRM’s well-oiled campaign machinery and the cash-strapped opposition parties struggling to mobilize ahead of 2026 elections.Several political organisations, including Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu’s Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) the Common Man’s Party (CMP) under Mubarack Munyagwa, the Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP), and the National Peasants Party (NPP), have openly admitted to being financially incapacitated.Most of these parties say they are relying on personal savings and public contributions to sustain their campaign activities. The CMP leadership revealed they need at least UGX 15 billion to conduct a three-months campaign trail but have managed to raise only a small fraction of that amount.The RPP claims that funds pledged by foreign partners were blocked shortly before the nomination period, an act they interpret as deliberate political suppression. Similarly, the NPP recently launched a public fundraising appeal after admitting their internal funds could only sustain operations for barely a month.According to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Treasurer, Mr. Godfrey Ekanya (as tje daily monitor reports), several businesspeople who previously offered silent support to the opposition have been subjected to tax-related threats and security surveillance. Ekanya noted that these tactics have scared away potential financiers, leaving most opposition parties unable to print posters for their candidates, hire vehicles, or maintain field offices.FDC insiders further revealed that some donors who tried to send funds through foreign accounts faced bureaucratic blockages, forcing them to withdraw support. Political observers say this financial squeeze has created a situation where only those aligned to the yellow camp can campaign effectively.While candidates continue appealing for facilitation, the Electoral Commission (EC) maintains that it lacks the legal mandate to fund presidential candidates, explaining that the law no longer provides for such funding after amendments to the Presidential Elections Act before the 2016 polls.The EC says any change would require Parliament to reintroduce the provision through an amendment, emphasizing that “if one cannot raise resources to run a campaign, they may not have the capacity to lead a nation.Before the legal change, each presidential candidate was entitled to vehicles and at least UGX 20 million in facilitation, but that support was abolished, leaving candidates to meet all campaign costs independently.Recently, government released UGX 9.8 billion through the Interparty Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) arrangement. However, only political parties that signed the IPOD memorandum (including the NRM, FDC, Democratic Party (DP), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), and Jeema) benefited from this funding.The National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), was excluded from the share, estimated at UGX 1.4 billion, for refusing to sign the IPOD agreement.NUP officials have repeatedly described the IPOD funding model as a political tool for control, accusing the government of rewarding compliant opposition and sidelining dissenting voices.While smaller parties fight to survive, the NRM remains financially secure, as it’s Director of Communication, Emmanuel Dombo, says the ruling party’s campaignsare moving smoothly, with logistics, transport, and financing already secured for their candidate, YK Museveni.The Conservative Party (CP), and their candidate, Elton Joseph Mabirizi, indicated that they started saving for the election years ago, cushioning them against the financial strain now suffocating others. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).