News
New LC1 and LC2 chairpersons to be elected next month
According to the roadmap, the process will begin with the registration of all willing residents wishing to participate in the LC1 elections between July 6 and July 10. The registration will be conducted in their respective villages.
Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama. (File photo)
By: Mary Karugaba, Journalist @New Vision
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The Electoral Commission has finally set the long-awaited dates for the election of Local Council One (LC1), Local Council Two (LC2), and Women Councils and Committees elections.
Announcing the electoral roadmap, Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said the election of LC1 chairpersons will take place on July 28, 2026.
According to the roadmap, the process will begin with the registration of all willing residents wishing to participate in the LC1 elections between July 6 and July 10. The registration will be conducted in their respective villages.
Byabakama said the registration will be conducted in all 71,214 villages across the country by village election officials appointed by the Electoral Commission.
“To qualify for registration, an individual must be a Ugandan citizen, at least 18 years old, ordinarily resident in the village where they intend to register, and willing to be a member of the village council,” he said.
The registration will be followed by nomination from July 15 to July 19.
Unlike previous village elections, Byabakama said elections will be conducted under the multiparty political system, meaning political parties will be allowed to field candidates.
Byabakama urged political parties and organisations to begin preparations, including selecting flag bearers in time.
“These elections shall be conducted in accordance with the multi-party political dispensation. Therefore, political parties and organisations should prepare accordingly,” he said.
“To qualify for registration, an individual must be a Ugandan citizen, at least 18 years old, ordinarily resident in the village where they intend to register, and willing to be a member of the village council,” he said.
The registration will be followed by nomination from July 15 to July 19.
Unlike previous village elections, Byabakama said elections will be conducted under the multiparty political system, meaning political parties will be allowed to field candidates.
Byabakama urged political parties and organisations to begin preparations, including selecting flag bearers in time.
“These elections shall be conducted in accordance with the multi-party political dispensation. Therefore, political parties and organisations should prepare accordingly,” he said.
He said candidates will not be required to possess any academic qualifications or pay nomination fees.
“After nominations, campaigns will take place from July 20 to July 27 and will be restricted to the candidate’s village. No candidate is allowed to hold physical campaigns outside or beyond his or her village,” he said.
Polling will be conducted on July 28 in all villages where the position is contested.
He said each village will serve as a polling station, with voting conducted through lining up behind candidates, their agents, portraits or symbols.
Voting activities will begin at 7am with voter verification and end with the approval of village executive committee members.
Byabakama said that after the election of the chairperson, the election of the executive committee members should also be conducted immediately with the approval of the voters.
The executive committee will consist of 11 members, including the chairperson, vice chairperson, general secretary, secretary for security, secretary for finance, secretary for production and environmental protection, secretary for information and mobilisation, and representatives of youth, women, persons with disabilities and older persons.
Some members will automatically join the executive committee by virtue of heading special interest group councils, including women, youth, persons with disabilities and older persons.
LC2 elections to follow
The election of Parish (LC2) chairpersons and executive committees will begin immediately after the LC1 elections.
According to the roadmap, compilation of the LC2 voters’ register will take place on July 29, followed by display of the register on July 30 and July 31.
Nominations for LC2 chairperson candidates are scheduled for August 3, while campaigns will run from August 4 to August 9.
Polling for LC2 chairpersons will take place on August 10.
Under the arrangement, members of village executive committees will form the electoral college responsible for electing parish chairpersons.
Exercise would begin with the registration and verification of village residents from July 6 to July 10, 2026, and culminate in the election of LC2 chairpersons on August 10.
Byabakama acknowledged public frustration over the prolonged delay in holding the elections but said the Commission was now ready after receiving the necessary funding from government.
“We know that this programme has been long-awaited, and we want to thank and appreciate the people of Uganda for the patience you have exhibited up to now,” he said.
He added: “With Government having provided the Electoral Commission with the much-needed funds, the Commission is able to announce today the programme for conducting these important elections.”
Women council elections
According to the roadmap, the process will kick off with the registration of women, and polling will take place on July 23.
The process, however, will kick off with registration on both the general village register and the women’s council register so as to enable them to participate in both electoral processes.
Byabakama said the Electoral Commission will display the village and women’s council registers from July 13 to July 14 to allow residents to verify their details and identify ineligible persons.
He urged residents to report names of deceased persons, non-citizens, underage individuals and people who do not reside in the village for removal from the registers.
“The Commission urges all Ugandans to participate in this electoral programme and to do so in accordance with the guidelines for each activity,” Byabakama said.
Nomination
Candidates seeking positions on the five-member committees will be nominated between July 15 and July 19 at subcounty, town council and municipal division headquarters.
The positions include chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, publicity secretary and secretary for finance.
Byabakama said candidates must be female Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above, resident in the village and registered on the Village Women Council Register.
The Commission said no academic qualifications or nomination fees will be required.
Campaigns will run from July 20 to July 22, with polling scheduled for July 23.
Voting will be conducted through the traditional lining-up method, where voters queue behind candidates, their representatives, portraits or symbols.
“After nominations, campaigns will take place from July 20 to July 27 and will be restricted to the candidate’s village. No candidate is allowed to hold physical campaigns outside or beyond his or her village,” he said.
Polling will be conducted on July 28 in all villages where the position is contested.
He said each village will serve as a polling station, with voting conducted through lining up behind candidates, their agents, portraits or symbols.
Voting activities will begin at 7am with voter verification and end with the approval of village executive committee members.
Byabakama said that after the election of the chairperson, the election of the executive committee members should also be conducted immediately with the approval of the voters.
The executive committee will consist of 11 members, including the chairperson, vice chairperson, general secretary, secretary for security, secretary for finance, secretary for production and environmental protection, secretary for information and mobilisation, and representatives of youth, women, persons with disabilities and older persons.
Some members will automatically join the executive committee by virtue of heading special interest group councils, including women, youth, persons with disabilities and older persons.
LC2 elections to follow
The election of Parish (LC2) chairpersons and executive committees will begin immediately after the LC1 elections.
According to the roadmap, compilation of the LC2 voters’ register will take place on July 29, followed by display of the register on July 30 and July 31.
Nominations for LC2 chairperson candidates are scheduled for August 3, while campaigns will run from August 4 to August 9.
Polling for LC2 chairpersons will take place on August 10.
Under the arrangement, members of village executive committees will form the electoral college responsible for electing parish chairpersons.
Exercise would begin with the registration and verification of village residents from July 6 to July 10, 2026, and culminate in the election of LC2 chairpersons on August 10.
Byabakama acknowledged public frustration over the prolonged delay in holding the elections but said the Commission was now ready after receiving the necessary funding from government.
“We know that this programme has been long-awaited, and we want to thank and appreciate the people of Uganda for the patience you have exhibited up to now,” he said.
He added: “With Government having provided the Electoral Commission with the much-needed funds, the Commission is able to announce today the programme for conducting these important elections.”
Women council elections
According to the roadmap, the process will kick off with the registration of women, and polling will take place on July 23.
The process, however, will kick off with registration on both the general village register and the women’s council register so as to enable them to participate in both electoral processes.
Byabakama said the Electoral Commission will display the village and women’s council registers from July 13 to July 14 to allow residents to verify their details and identify ineligible persons.
He urged residents to report names of deceased persons, non-citizens, underage individuals and people who do not reside in the village for removal from the registers.
“The Commission urges all Ugandans to participate in this electoral programme and to do so in accordance with the guidelines for each activity,” Byabakama said.
Nomination
Candidates seeking positions on the five-member committees will be nominated between July 15 and July 19 at subcounty, town council and municipal division headquarters.
The positions include chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, publicity secretary and secretary for finance.
Byabakama said candidates must be female Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above, resident in the village and registered on the Village Women Council Register.
The Commission said no academic qualifications or nomination fees will be required.
Campaigns will run from July 20 to July 22, with polling scheduled for July 23.
Voting will be conducted through the traditional lining-up method, where voters queue behind candidates, their representatives, portraits or symbols.