More women urged to enter politics ahead of LC I, LC II and women council elections

17 July 2026, 6:51 pm

By Daniel Comboni

Pader district woman Member of Parliament Hon. Lowila CD Oketayot has challenged women to take up more leadership positions in the forthcoming elections, in order to achieve gender balance.

Lowila who is also the District chairperson for National Resistance Movement-NRM expressed concern that women are leaving their male counterparts to occupy most of the elective positions yet the decisions taken by leaders affect mainly women and children.

She said the path to a socially just world and achieving gender equality begins with increased access to and participation of women in decision making spaces to highlight the plight of women and girls and develop strategies for the betterment of their standards of living.

She added that women leaders are very important since they are the one to implement government programs aimed at empowering women.

Meanwhile some women have already shown interest in the coming election including, Nighty Akello, an aspiring LC I Chairperson for Oloki Lee Cell in Lagwai Parish, who said she joined the race because Uganda’s Constitution guarantees women equal opportunities to participate in leadership.

Another aspirant, Juliet Ayaa, who is contesting for the Women Council Chairperson position in Oloki Lee Cell, pledged to promote unity among women and champion their empowerment.

Ayaa said women have been left behind in community development and called for a change in attitudes towards women, stressing that they deserve equal respect and opportunities both in their homes and in leadership.

According to the Electoral Commission, the village registration exercise begun on 6th July 2026, while polling for Local Council I, Local Council II and Women Council elections is scheduled for 28 July 2026.

Uganda has more than 71,000 villages, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). There is no nomination fee or minimum academic qualification required for anyone seeking these positions. Candidates must, however, be Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above and registered members of their respective villages.