Four aspiring Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons in Luwero District have been blocked from nomination after questions emerged on whether they are genuine residents of the villages they seek to represent. The cases in Luwero highlight the residency requirement as an early flashpoint in the ongoing village elections.
The Electoral Commission on Wednesday began nationwide nominations for LC1 chairpersons and Women Council candidates ahead of the July 28 polls. Nominations will continue until July 19. In Luwero District, where the exercise is being conducted at sub-county and town council headquarters, four aspirants from Kyegombwa, Bukolwa, Kasaala and Nakijju villages were stopped from completing the process after questions were raised about their eligibility under the residency requirement.
One of those affected, Mensusera Kayondo, sought nomination for the LC1 chairperson seat in Kyegombwa Village but was turned away after Luwero Sub-county Returning Officer Eunice Kasemire informed him that a petition had challenged his claim of residence. According to the petition, Kayondo is not a resident of Kyegombwa Village and is therefore ineligible to contest.
Kayondo rejected the allegations, accusing his rival, National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Francis Mwazike, of orchestrating the petition to keep him off the ballot. He argued that although he owns homes in several villages, he was born in Kyegombwa, owns land there and therefore qualifies to contest.
Another aspirant, Godfrey Jjagwe, was also denied nomination for the Nakijju Village LC1 chairperson race after residents alleged he had relocated to neighbouring Kikeregge Village and no longer resides in Nakijju. Luwero District Returning Officer Moses Rwanks Kiconco confirmed that four aspirants had been affected by residency petitions on the first day of nominations.
He explained that the Electoral Commission relies on Parish Committees made up of local leaders to verify whether an aspirant is ordinarily resident in the village where they intend to contest. According to Kiconco, officials are still investigating one petition from Bukolwa Village by visiting the aspirant’s alleged residence and consulting neighbours.
He said where the committee establishes that an aspirant is not ordinarily known to reside in the village, the nomination cannot proceed.
Kiconco however described the first day of nominations as generally peaceful, with between 80 and 100 aspirants presenting nomination papers in each sub-county. Under electoral laws governing Local Council elections, a candidate must be an ordinary resident of the village where they intend to contest and must also be registered as a voter in that area.
Meanwhile, successful candidates used the nomination exercise to outline their campaign priorities. Ernest Kalina, the NRM candidate for Kanyogoga Village, pledged to fight illegal land evictions if elected, saying he has long supported tenants facing displacement.
Ramathan Kiwanuka, the NRM flag bearer for Kagugo Village, also promised to tackle land grabbing, while National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Vincent Ssebuuma, contesting in Kasaala Village, said he would prioritise addressing theft of food crops and livestock.
Nominations for LC1 chairpersons and Women Council candidates resume on Thursday and will run until July 19 ahead of the July 28 elections-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
