Twenty-six villages in Luwero District have been left without recognised LC1 chairpersons nearly two months after the village elections, as the Electoral Commission continues to determine petitions challenging the results. The leadership vacuum is affecting access to basic administrative services and community mobilisation, while residents say some local disputes and security concerns are also going unattended.
The Electoral Commission held elections for LC1 chairpersons and village councils in 71,214 villages across Uganda on July 28, 2026. Two of the cases were resolved, leaving 26 disputes unresolved.
In Luwero, 28 villages filed petitions challenging the election results. The Electoral Commission subsequently directed local government authorities to stop the swearing-in of elected chairpersons in areas where petitions were still pending.
As a result, villages including Kalongo Miti, Lumu, Kiwumpa, Kasaala, Kyegombwa, Lwogi, Masinga, Katabona and Tweyanze remain without newly sworn-in LC1 chairpersons. The district authorities have also directed former LC1 chairpersons to surrender official village stamps pending the resolution of the petitions.
Paul Mukungu, the LC3 Chairperson of Luwero Town Council, says the absence of recognised village leaders is affecting services that residents routinely obtain through LC1 offices.
He says LC1 chairpersons mobilise communities for government programmes and provide recommendation letters required for services such as loan applications, employment opportunities abroad, court bail and witnessing land transactions.
Residents say the consequences are already being felt. Sam Kasoma, a resident of Kasaala Village, says a petition challenging the election of William Kayanja as LC1 chairperson has left the village without an official stamp.
He says at least 10 young people have been unable to obtain recommendation letters because the stamp was withdrawn by the sub-county chief pending the resolution of the petition. Kasoma also alleges that crime has increased because the village council is no longer functioning.
In Kalongo Miti Zone, disputed LC1 chairperson-elect Moses Kafeero insists that he won the election but says his swearing-in was stopped after his rival petitioned against the result.
Kafeero says he has already submitted his defence to the Electoral Commission but is still waiting for a decision. Kisekka Ssaka, a former LC1 chairperson and one of the petitioners, is calling on the Electoral Commission to expedite the cases so that villages can have recognised leaders.
The Luwero District Returning Officer, Moses Rwanks Kiconco, says the Electoral Commission headquarters has so far resolved only two of the 28 petitions submitted from the district.
He has urged petitioners and affected residents to remain patient, saying each case is being handled independently. In the meantime, Luwero District authorities have advised residents to seek services normally provided by LC1 chairpersons from parish chiefs.
However, some LC3 chairpersons have questioned this arrangement, arguing that parish chiefs are transferable and may not have sufficient knowledge of individual residents, local disputes and land transactions. The unresolved petitions have therefore left a gap in village-level administration, with residents waiting for the Electoral Commission to determine the disputes before the elected leaders can be sworn in-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
