A primary school teacher in Oyam District was declared winner of an LC1 chairperson election despite Electoral Commission guidelines requiring public officers to resign before contesting for the position.
Lawrence Kojo, a teacher at Abang Primary School, won the LC1 chairperson race for Akaidebe Village in Amwa Parish, Myene Sub-county, after polling 40 votes against Patrick Bua, a teacher at Amwa Demonstration Primary School, who garnered 17 votes.
Both candidates are serving teachers employed by the government. The Electoral Commission announced on June 29, 2026, that public officers are not eligible to contest for LC1 and LC2 chairperson positions unless they resign before nomination.
In a circular issued by Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, the Commission said the exemption that had previously allowed public officers to contest without resigning was removed through the Local Government (Amendment) Act (No. 2) of 2006.
The Commission explained that earlier electoral guidelines had mistakenly relied on a compilation of electoral laws that omitted the amendment, prompting it to issue a clarification ahead of the elections.
“All public servants who wish to contest for LC1 and LC2 Chairperson positions are required to resign their offices before nomination,” the circular stated.
Denish Okello, the election official who presided over the Akaidebe Village poll, acknowledged that election officials had been verbally informed about the Commission’s directive but said they were not supplied with copies of the circular because they were reportedly insufficient.
When contacted, Kojo questioned why the Electoral Commission had allowed his nomination if he was ineligible to contest. He referred reporters to the Commission, saying it should explain why his candidature was accepted if he had failed to meet the legal requirements.
Christine Atim, a resident of Akaidebe Village, claimed Kojo had served as LC1 chairperson for the past five years while teaching at another school. She also alleged that he colluded with election officials during voter registration to include people from neighbouring villages on the Akaidebe voters’ register.
URN could not independently verify the allegations regarding the voters’ register. Joseph Omona, the Oyam District Returning Officer, said any decision to nullify the election would require a formal complaint supported by evidence.
He said the Electoral Commission cannot act solely on media reports or allegations without following the prescribed complaints process.
Meanwhile, Oyam Chief Administrative Officer Felix Alex Majembe said the district was verifying reports that Kojo remained a serving public officer during the election.
Majembe said his office would formally write to Kojo after completing the verification process to establish whether any provisions of the law or public service regulations were breached-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
