By KT Reporter
The Electoral Commission (EC) has set Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as the polling date for the LCIII Chairperson election in Bulindi Town Council, Hoima District, after voting was earlier suspended due to electoral irregularities. The Commission suspended voting on February 4, 2026, after ballot papers delivered to Bulindi Town Council were found to contain names and photographs of candidates who had not been nominated for the race.
The Bulindi Town Council LCIII contest had attracted three candidates: Robert Ayebale, an Independent; Moses Kajura of the National Resistance Movement (NRM); and Hannington Sunday, also an Independent. However, during the verification of polling materials, election officials discovered anomalies on the ballot papers. The papers bore four names and photographs, yet only three candidates had been legally nominated by the EC.
The names that appeared on the ballot papers were Patrick Abola, Yakobo Sabino, Charles Obete Oryem, and Aldon Richard Kamuhara, individuals who are neither registered voters nor nominated candidates in Bulindi Town Council. The discovery caused panic among candidates, their agents, and supporters at the affected polling stations.
According to Hassan Takwana, the Hoima District Returning Officer, the irregularity was detected immediately after the opening and verification of ballot papers allocated to the town council. He said the matter was reported to the EC headquarters, which directed that voting for the LCIII Chairperson seat be suspended.Speaking to Uganda Radio Network (URN) on Monday, Takwana confirmed that the Commission has now fixed February 17, 2026, as the new polling date for the election. Takwana said the EC is fully prepared to conduct the election and urged voters in Bulindi Town Council to turn up in large numbers to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
He also appealed to candidates, their supporters, and polling agents to maintain peace before, during, and after polling day. Takwana further stated that polling stations will be opened in the presence of at least ten voters, who will act as witnesses during the opening of ballot boxes, as provided for under the law.
However, Hannington Sunday, one of the candidates, expressed concern that voter turnout could be low if the Electoral Commission does not conduct adequate voter sensitisation ahead of polling day. According to data from the Electoral Commission, Bulindi Town Council has 6,108 registered voters across 14 polling stations.
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