At least 51 Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons in Hoima District have been declared unopposed after no one contested against them.
Hassan Takwana, the Hoima District Returning Officer explains that voting did not take place in these villages where the Chairpersons went unopposed. Takwana says, the unopposed chairpersons will convene village meetings where residents will appoint and confirm members of executive committees.
According to Takwana, a total of 693 candidates were nominated for LC1 chairperson positions in Hoima District, comprising 671 men and 22 women.
Of these, 316 are from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), 370 are Independents, four represent the National Unity Platform (NUP), while three are from People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
Meanwhile there is heavy security deployment of the military and the Uganda police on the streets of Hoima city and in the district.
According to Security, the deployment is aimed at averting any forms of violence and insecurity during and after the Local Council One elections.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says mildly that the deployment is normal and is meant to safeguard voters and the election officials.
According to Hakiza, the heavy security deployment has been sanctioned after security agencies received intelligence-led information about some individuals intending to cause chaos and interfere with the electoral process.
Hakiza warned that security will decisively deal with anyone found who will be found disrupting peace during the elections.
By lunchtime, jubilations had rocked Hoima district as the election officials had started declaring the election results.
The LC1 chairperson elections are conducted through the open voting system, where voters line up behind a candidate, the candidate’s agent, portrait, or symbol.
The elections are a key stage in Uganda’s electoral cycle because LC1 chairpersons serve as the first link between citizens and government.
They oversee community security, mediate disputes, verify official documents, mobilize residents for government programmes and coordinate local development initiatives.
Established under Article 176 of the 1995 Constitution and operationalized through the Local Governments Act, Local Councils are intended to promote citizen participation, accountability and decentralized service delivery-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
