As Uganda’s national voter registration and update process gains momentum, grassroots politicians are intensifying efforts to secure their electoral futures.
While high-profile figures often limit their engagement to symbolic gestures, local councillors are fully immersed in the process, ensuring their supporters are registered, transferred to the correct polling stations, and prepared to vote.
At the heart of this political maneuvering are the councillors, whose influence is deeply rooted in their immediate communities.
Unlike presidential candidates or Members of Parliament (MPs) who rely on broader appeal, local leaders must focus on voter registration as a critical step in securing victory.
A Battle for Numbers
Our reporters visited the Avance and Nabweru voter registration stations in Nansana Municipality, where political leaders were seen actively mobilising voters.
At Nabweru playground, next to the Nansana Division headquarters, a hive of political activity unfolded.
Since Sunday, the area has been a focal point for voter registration, updates, and transfers.
Several councillor, both incumbents and aspirants, were present, directly engaging with voters.
Kanakulya, the LC Chairperson for Nabweru South III, summed up the stakes saying; “Voter registration is the real election. These days are as critical as, or even more important than, voting day itself.”
The coordination among councillors was meticulous. The team observed how women were brought to the polling station by local politicians, three of them transferring their registration from distant stations to Nabweru, while two were first-time voters eager to be on the roll.
Politicians Leave Nothing to Chance
Throughout the day, representatives from major political parties, including the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Democratic Party (DP), and National Unity Platform (NUP), were visible, guiding their supporters through the registration process.
Some leaders went further, hiring agents to station themselves near the registration desks to collect contact details of voters, ensuring they could be reached when election time came.
One councilor explained, “We gather contacts to ensure they vote in the lower level elections, which often lose momentum once the presidential and parliamentary races overshadow them.”
In villages, voter mobilisation was equally intense. Politicians used boda bodas, megaphones in hand, to rally residents.
Kikomaga Nanyonga, an NRM grassroots leader, detailed their strategy: door-to-door visits and encouraging voter transfers for new residents.
She noted that each registered individual had to be documented in their ‘yellow book’ a reference to NRM voter tracking.
Transaction Process
Despite the enthusiasm, challenges surfaced. Vincent Kasule, a Persons with Disabilities (PWD) councilor, observed that many voters lacked proper information about the process.
“A lot of people don’t understand voter registration or how to transfer their details,” he noted.
Economic hardship has also influenced voter engagement with many residents now expect monetary incentives for their participation, with some demanding between Ugx5,000 to Ugx10,000 to register, update their details, or transfer to new polling stations.
“It’s becoming a tricky situation,” one councillor admitted. “People see voter registration as an opportunity for quick gain. While we understand the struggles they face, this creates an unhealthy dynamic.”
John Bosco Sserunkuuma, a councilor eyeing the Nansana Municipality parliamentary seat, revealed that an average local politician could spend up to Ugx100,000 daily on voter registration activities, much of it used as incentives.
Over the six-day exercise, a single councilor could easily spend between Ugx600,000 and Ugx1.8 million on transport, loudspeakers, and voter mobilisation.
“This is how politics is now,” Sserunkuuma explained, adding that voters expect something in return, even for basic electoral participation.
“This trend started with the NRM government, which popularised handouts as a campaign strategy,” he noted.
Reagan Mukasa, a youth councilor in Nansana, highlighted how some leaders have started pooling resources to sustain voter engagement efforts.
With limited personal finances, councillors collaborate to ensure their supporters are registered.
Voter Expectations Shift the Political Landscape
Mariam Kyeyune, one of the residents escorted to the polling station by a councillor, expressed a view widely shared by many.
“If they want my vote, they must compensate for my time,” she added.
She further admitted to receiving a Ugx5,000 ‘lunch allowance’ and a boda boda ride from her workplace, seeing it as fair compensation for time lost.
As Uganda edges closer to the 2026 elections, the voter registration process is proving to be more than a bureaucratic exercise, it is a battlefield where early investments could determine the political future of grassroots leaders.
With voter expectations shifting, politicians must adapt or risk being outmaneuvered before campaigns even begin.
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