Agago District has deployed security personnel across more than 500 villages and activated crime preventers and special constables to ensure peaceful Local Council I (LC I) elections amid intelligence reports that some groups were planning to disrupt the polls.
James Nabinson Kidega, the Agago Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said security agencies had identified potential hotspots where individuals allegedly intended to interfere with voting if their preferred candidates appeared unlikely to win.
“We are sending a warning to people who want to cause chaos at polling stations because they think their candidates are losing. Some have prepared goons to disrupt the elections by scattering voters after giving them alcohol and other drugs,” Kidega said.
He said security forces had already been deployed in villages across the district and were prepared to respond to any attempts to disrupt the electoral process.
“We have deployed in all the villages. We have activated the old special constables, and we know the hotspots. Those planning to cause violence should abandon the idea and allow people to vote peacefully,” he added.
Kidega attributed the heightened security deployment to political tensions that emerged after previous elections for Members of Parliament and local government leaders, where rival political camps reportedly clashed in some sub-counties.
Despite the heavy security presence, early voter turnout was low in several parts of the district.
Okeny Caesar, a former district councillor representing Kalongo Town Council, said many polling stations had not commenced voting by 10 am, with residents instead heading to their gardens following light morning rainfall.
“At around 10 a.m., I visited several villages in Kalongo. In some places, there was no sign of elections, while in other villages, officials were only beginning preparations,” Okeny said.
He said villages including Badege, Kubo and Mission Ward recorded slow activity, attributing the delay to farming activities rather than voter apathy.
“People are more relaxed because the rains have come. Most of them have gone to their gardens and intend to return later, although they risk missing some of the election procedures,” he said.
Okeny said he had not witnessed any cases of violence or voter intimidation and expected the elections in Kalongo to remain peaceful.
Meanwhile, Agago District NRM Chairperson Walter Oketa Ogwang expressed confidence that the ruling party would perform well, citing what he described as extensive grassroots mobilisation.
Ogwang said the party had already registered a strong performance during the recent Women’s Council elections, winning more than 97 per cent of the positions across the district.
“As a party, we are ready for the elections because we have mobilised our supporters and fielded candidates in all the villages,” Ogwang said.
He urged residents to participate in the elections, describing the LC I leadership as the level of government with the closest daily interaction with citizens.
“Every Ugandan should take interest in these elections because the LC I chairperson is the leader people interact with most, whether for land transactions, community disputes or accessing government services,” he said.
Ogwang also called on those elected to work closely with their executive committees rather than making decisions individually.
“We elect the LC I chairperson together with the executive. Those elected should work as a team and involve their executives in decision-making to improve service delivery and accountability,” he said.
Agago District has 1,147 villages, where voters are electing LC I chairpersons and executive committees as part of the ongoing nationwide Local Council elections-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
