Electoral Commission hails successful LC I elections

30 July 2026, 9:34 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Electoral Commission has described the recently concluded Local Council I (LC I) Chairperson elections as largely successful, with voting completed in the majority of villages across the country.

Addressing journalists at the Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala, Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama thanked Ugandans for participating peacefully in the elections. He said voting was successfully conducted in 70,079 of the country’s 71,214 villages, representing 98.4 per cent of all villages.

Justice Byabakama said elections in the remaining villages, where the exercise was postponed due to various challenges, will be conducted on 1 August 2026. He commended security agencies, Electoral Commission staff, the media and other stakeholders for contributing to the successful organisation of the elections.

The Commission Chairperson emphasised that only voters whose names appear in the official village registers are eligible to participate in the elections. He also clarified that the responsibility of declaring election results lies with the respective returning officers and not the Electoral Commission headquarters.

Justice Byabakama apologised for delays experienced in some polling areas and urged candidates dissatisfied with the election outcomes to petition the Electoral Commission through established legal procedures.

He further condemned reports of violence against voters and encouraged victims to report such incidents to the Police for appropriate action. He also reminded political parties that their role is to present candidates and not interfere with the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the Treasurer of the Federation of Uganda Taxi Operators (UTOF), William Katumba, commended the government and the Electoral Commission for organising the elections despite the challenges encountered. He congratulated successful candidates and urged them to prioritise service delivery and development in their respective villages.