The Ministry of Local Government has called on Ugandans to turn out in large numbers for Tuesday’s Local Council I (LCI) elections, describing the polls as a crucial opportunity to strengthen participatory democracy, accountability and grassroots service delivery after years of delayed village elections.
In a statement issued on the eve of the elections, Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya said the LC I and LC II structures remain the bedrock of Uganda’s decentralised governance system, serving as the first point of contact between citizens and government.
“Participating in these elections is not simply about choosing individuals to occupy leadership positions; it is about shaping the future of our communities,” Kumumanya said. “Every vote contributes to strengthening decentralisation, promoting peace and security, improving accountability and accelerating socio-economic transformation.”
According to the Electoral Commission, the country has approximately 71,208 villages, each expected to elect a village chairperson and executive committee, making LC I leaders the closest elected representatives to the people.
The country last conducted nationwide LC I elections on July 10, 2018, the first such polls in 17 years after the previous elections in 2001. Like the upcoming exercise, voting was conducted using the lining-up method instead of the secret ballot to reduce election costs.
Under Article 181(4) of the Constitution and the Local Governments Act, LC leaders are required to be elected every five years, meaning fresh elections should ordinarily have taken place in 2023. However, the polls were repeatedly deferred because of funding constraints, legal and administrative adjustments, and changes to the Electoral Commission’s electoral roadmap.
To prevent a leadership vacuum, Parliament extended the tenure of LC I and LC II leaders on several occasions. The prolonged delays drew criticism from governance experts and civil society organisations, who argued that the absence of regularly elected village leaders weakened accountability, hampered community dispute resolution and reduced citizen participation in local governance.
Kumumanya said Tuesday’s elections offer communities an opportunity to elect leaders of integrity who are committed to serving the public interest. He noted that LCI executive committees play a critical role in implementing council resolutions, mobilising communities for government programmes, promoting sanitation, maintaining law and order, identifying vulnerable households for government support, and monitoring service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary also underscored the importance of village leadership in the successful implementation of flagship government initiatives, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, national immunisation campaigns and environmental conservation programmes.
Beyond administration, he said LC I and LC II leaders are vital in resolving community disputes involving land boundaries, family conflicts and neighbourhood disagreements before they escalate to formal courts, thereby fostering peaceful coexistence and reducing pressure on the justice system.
He urged voters to carefully evaluate the character, integrity and track record of aspiring leaders, emphasising that communities deserve leaders who place public interest above personal gain. To facilitate participation, the Ministry of Public Service declared Tuesday, July 28, a public holiday.
Meanwhile, political activity has intensified across the country, with several Members of Parliament and other political leaders camping in their constituencies ahead of the village polls as candidates make final efforts to mobilise voters-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
