At least 60 candidates who contested for Local Council One (LC1) chairperson positions in Luwero District have petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC), seeking the nullification of the July 28 village election results over alleged widespread irregularities. The petitions, filed between Tuesday and Thursday at the Luwero District Electoral Commission offices, challenge the outcome of elections in dozens of villages across the district.
According to the Electoral Commission, elections were successfully conducted in 622 of Luwero’s 624 villages. Official results show the National Resistance Movement (NRM) won 394 LC1 chairperson seats, independent candidates secured 167 seats, the National Unity Platform (NUP) won 60 seats, while the Democratic Party (DP) won one seat.
The complaints come from candidates in villages including Namwatulira, Kiwumpa, Ndagga Bweya, Katabona, Katuugo, Katuumu, Lomule, Migadde, Bubengwa, Lumu, Bufumbanswa, Gangama, Kakakala, Kireku, Sedertula and Lukyamu, among others.
In their petitions, the candidates accuse presiding officers of flouting electoral procedures by allowing non-residents and underage persons to vote, altering election results, using fake voting slips, miscounting votes and declaring winners after voting had been disrupted or abandoned.Henry Kasozi, a former Independent candidate for LC1 chairperson in Namwatulira Village, alleged that security personnel disrupted the voting process and intimidated residents, denying them an opportunity to participate in a free and fair election.
Another petitioner, Yiga Paul, who contested in Kiwumpa Village, claimed presiding officers allowed underage persons to vote, miscounted the number of voters, and fled the polling station after violence broke out without officially declaring the results. Yiga said he was later surprised to learn that his opponent had been declared the winner despite the fact that he was leading before the election was disrupted.
Similarly, John Ovon, who contested in Ndagga Bweya Village, said many residents abandoned the election after discovering that non-residents had infiltrated the voting process and demanded that it be halted. According to Ovon, residents were later shocked to learn that a winner had been declared despite the fact that voting had not been completed.
Joachim Buwembo, a former contestant from Bulemeezi Village, alleged that the election was disrupted during vote counting, only for his opponent to later celebrate victory despite the tallying process never being completed.
Matia Ssekamatte, an unsuccessful candidate from Kacwampa Village, accused election officials of allowing residents from neighbouring villages to vote and accepting voting slips that had been issued elsewhere. Godfrey Lubega, the former NRM candidate for LC1 chairperson in Kkalwe Village, also implicated the area’s Member of Parliament, accusing the legislator of intimidating his supporters and interfering with the electoral process.
Lubega alleged that the MP’s actions disrupted voting and created an atmosphere of fear that prevented residents from exercising their democratic rights freely. Luwero District LC5 Chairperson Erastus Kibirango urged the Electoral Commission to thoroughly investigate the complaints and order fresh elections in villages where the process was allegedly compromised.
Kibirango warned that failure to address what he described as genuine grievances could heighten tensions and trigger violence in some communities. He cited Katabona Village in Kikyusa Sub-county, where more than 140 residents have reportedly challenged the election, alleging that non-residents participated in the voting and that security personnel backed the declaration of a winner despite widespread objections from residents.
Several petitioners also told Luwero District Returning Officer Moses Rwanks Kiconco that they have never received official declarations of results from their villages, arguing that voting was disrupted and ended prematurely before declaration forms could be issued. However, Kiconco said the district electoral office has no legal mandate to nullify results that have already been declared.
He advised dissatisfied candidates to seek redress through the courts after the Electoral Commission processes and issues the official declaration forms. Kiconco added that the Commission will only organise fresh elections in villages where polling did not take place successfully. He said seven villages have so far been identified for repeat elections. These are Ngogolo, Tweyanze, Kyawangabi, Ddegeya Central, Katuumu, Ndibulungi and Kiya-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
