The contest for the LC II chairperson seat in Wobulenzi West Ward, Wobulenzi Town Council, has entered a fifth round after NRM and NUP candidates remained deadlocked at 21 votes each in four consecutive rounds. The Electoral Commission designated August 10 for elections of LC II parish councils across the country. Unlike the LC I elections, which involved all registered voters, the LC II elections are decided by committee members of village councils.
In Wobulenzi West, NRM candidate Morgan Bugoloobi Kalasa and NUP’s Ibrah Kaye each secured 21 votes in every round. The parish has 44 eligible voters, but only 42 village committee members turned up to vote. Voting began at about 11 a.m. but had failed to produce a winner by 1 p.m. After four rounds, Presiding Officer Noah Migaire postponed the election to 2 p.m. for a fifth attempt.
The two candidates subsequently retreated to separate camps with their supporters, with each maintaining that they have 21 votes and reportedly restricting access by rival supporters in an effort to prevent defections. It remains unclear whether the fifth round will break the deadlock. Luwero District Returning Officer Moses Rwanks Kiconco said voting would continue through repeated rounds until 4 p.m. in an effort to produce a winner.
Kiconco said that if the candidates fail to break the deadlock by the end of the day, the election will be repeated tomorrow using the same voters’ register and at the same venue, with the Electoral Commission communicating the time. Most LC II elections in Luwero District were concluded with either narrow victories or uncontested wins.
The Electoral Commission nominated 100 NRM candidates, 70 independents and 12 NUP candidates to contest 101 parish LC II chairperson seats in the district. In Luwero Town Council, only one of the six parishes attracted competition, while the remaining races were uncontested after candidates either went through unopposed or their opponents withdrew.
In Kamira Town Council, candidates in five parishes were elected unopposed, while in Butuntumula Sub-county, only two of the seven parishes attracted competition. Where contests were held, several races were decided by narrow margins. In Wobulenzi East, NRM candidate Edward Muwonge defeated NUP’s Moses Ssemanda 22-20 in the second round after the two initially tied.
In Luwero Central Parish, NRM candidate Vincent Kinobe defeated independent candidate Kimeze Lugonvu by two votes, polling 19 votes against Lugonvu’s 17, while NUP’s Joshua William Lwanga received two votes. Kinobe, who previously contested the LC III chairperson seat in the February elections, described the contest as closely fought but free and fair.
However, Lugonvu and Lwanga disputed the result, alleging bribery and the sidelining of some of their supporters during the election-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
