Masindi village fails to get LC1 chairperson candidate ahead of elections

Masindi: Kyetungamye Village in Kijunjubwa Sub-county will not elect an LC1 chairperson in the upcoming Local Council I elections after failing to attract a single candidate during the nomination exercise.

The Masindi District Returning Officer, Gastervus Kakaire, revealed this while speaking to this publication in his office in Northern Cell saying all other villages successfully nominated candidates ahead of the elections scheduled for July 28, 2026.

“Much as nominations for LC1 chairpersons and Women Councils were successfully conducted and concluded, Kyetungamye Village in Kijunjubwa Sub-county did not attract any candidate,” Kakaire said.

Masindi District has 418 villages, meaning 417 villages will hold LC1 chairperson elections while Kyetungamye remains without a contestant.

Kakaire said a total of 844 candidates were nominated for LC1 chairperson positions, including 800 men and 44 women.

According to the Electoral Commission, the candidates are distributed as follows; National Resistance Movement (NRM) 386, Independents  are 480, Democratic Party (DP) 1, National Unity Platform (NUP) 2, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) 2 and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) two candidates.

On the Women Council elections, Kakaire said voting was successfully conducted in all the district’s 418 villages, although the final tally of elected leaders was still being compiled by press time.

“All the election forms have been received by the Electoral Commission, and each village has elected five representatives to the Village Women Council,” he noted.

He, however, acknowledged a few challenges during the Women Council polls, including individuals whose names were not on the voters’ register attempting to vote and men turning up at polling stations despite the exercise being exclusively for registered women.

“On July 28, both men and women will participate in electing LC1 chairpersons,” Kakaire explained.

He further said the Electoral Commission would formally communicate with the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Masindi Municipal Town Clerk to guide newly elected leaders on the swearing-in process and the handover of official instruments of office.

Kakaire urged all eligible voters to participate in the LC1 elections, emphasizing that the village elections are conducted through the lining-up voting system, which he said enhances transparency.

“People should not shy away from voting. It is not an everyday activity. Every eligible voter should spare some time to participate because leadership belongs to the people,” he said.

He assured residents that Electoral Commission officials and security agencies are fully prepared to oversee peaceful elections and warned that anyone who disrupts the exercise would be arrested and prosecuted.

“We are optimistic the elections will be as smooth as the 2026 General Elections. Those with complaints should report them to the Electoral Commission instead of causing chaos,” Kakaire warned.

He also encouraged residents to remain at polling stations after voting on July 28, explaining that once an LC1 chairperson is elected, the village council will immediately constitute the executive committee and representatives of special interest groups to form the full 11-member village executive committee.

Meanwhile, Police in the Albertine North Region have assured the public of adequate security ahead of the Local Council I (LC1) elections saying all operational plans have been finalized to ensure peaceful polls.

Speaking to this publication, Albertine North Community Liaison Officer and Acting Regional Police Spokesperson Solomon Mugisa said police have completed identifying potential election hotspots and are fully prepared to maintain law and order throughout the voting exercise.

“We have completed identifying hotspots, and our operation order is ready. We are fully prepared to ensure the elections are conducted peacefully,” Mugisa said.

He noted that police will work closely with other security agencies, including the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Prisons Service, to guarantee security before, during, and after the elections.

Mugisa urged voters to elect leaders based on merit rather than tribal or religious considerations and cautioned against any form of voter intimidation or coercion.

“People should vote freely without being forced or influenced. Anyone compelling voters to line up behind a particular candidate will be arrested and dealt with according to the law,” he warned.

He also advised voters to avoid reporting to polling stations while intoxicated, saying such behavior could disrupt the electoral process.

The acting regional police spokesperson further revealed that security patrols would begin immediately ahead of polling day and appealed to residents to carry valid identification documents and cooperate with presiding officers and other election officials.

“We ask all residents to cooperate with election officials, move with their identification documents, and follow lawful instructions to ensure a smooth exercise,” Mugisa added.

The LC1 elections will be held in villages across Uganda on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, with security agencies expressing confidence that the exercise will be conducted peacefully across the Albertine North region.

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