The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has once again emerged as the dominant party in the nominations for LC II Chairperson and Parish Women Council elections ahead of next week’s polls.
Campaigns for the LC II Chairperson elections officially began today after the close of nominations. The campaigns will run from August 4 to August 9, ahead of polling on August 10, 2026. Also starting today are campaigns for the Parish Women Council elections, which will continue until August 6, with voting scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2026.
Electoral Commission returns show that the NRM has fielded the highest number of candidates in both the LC II Chairperson and Parish Women Council races. Independent candidates rank second, while the National Unity Platform (NUP) trails in both contests. Other political parties did not field candidates in some districts.
In Luwero District, the NRM has fielded candidates in 100 of the 101 parishes for the LC II Chairperson elections. Independent candidates account for 70 nominations, while only 12 NUP candidates were successfully nominated. For the Parish Women Council elections, the NRM has nominated 456 candidates, compared to 88 Independents and eight NUP candidates.
Among the prominent candidates seeking positions in the Women’s Council elections are former Youth Member of Parliament Agnes Kirabo, former Luwero District Woman MP Lilian Nakate, and former Luwero District Woman MP aspirant Jackline Suubi Nakawuka. They are contesting for positions that could eventually lead to the District and National Women’s Council leadership.
Nakawuka said that although she was unsuccessful in her bid for the Luwero Woman MP seat, she chose to contest in the Women’s Council elections to represent and advocate for women at the grassroots. She added that the large number of NRM candidates reflects the party’s continued popularity among women and their confidence in its leadership.
Denis Kibirige, the NRM Publicity Secretary for Luwero District, said many of the party’s candidates for both the LC II Chairperson and Women’s Council elections were declared unopposed. He noted that where there is competition, most independent candidates are former NRM members who lost in the party primaries but opted to contest as independents.
However, Luwero District Chairperson Erastus Kibirango alleged that NUP candidates were unfairly eliminated during the LC I elections, reducing their chances of participating in the LC II elections, where voting is conducted by an electoral college made up of village council members.
Kibirango maintained that despite the outcome of the lower local council elections, Luwero remains a stronghold of the NUP.
The NRM also maintained its dominance in several other areas, including Hoima District, Masaka City and Arua City. In Hoima District, 83 candidates were nominated to contest for LC II Chairperson positions across the district’s 55 parishes. Of these, 53 are NRM candidates while 30 are Independents.
Hoima District Returning Officer Hassan Takwana urged candidates to conduct peaceful campaigns and warned against violence, hate speech and voter bribery ahead of the August 10 polls.
In Masaka City, Denis Kalyango Munanira, the Electoral Commission Registrar for Kimanya-Kabonera Division, said elections will be held in eight of the division’s 12 wards after several NRM candidates were declared unopposed because opposition parties failed to field candidates for all available positions.
Similarly, in Nyendo-Mukungwe Division, candidates in four of the 13 wards were declared unopposed. In Arua City, Returning Officer Osman Ezale said the nomination exercise was conducted peacefully, and campaigns have officially commenced ahead of the elections-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
