By Denis Mukisa
KAYUNGA — The Electoral Commission has finalized preparations for Tuesday’s Local Council I (LC1) elections, urging eligible voters to report to polling stations early, follow the voting guidelines, and maintain peace throughout the exercise.
Speaking ahead of the polls, the Electoral Commission’s Central Region North Supervisor, Tolbert Musinguzi, said officials have spent the past weeks conducting voter sensitization campaigns to ensure residents understand the election process and the importance of participating in a free and fair election.
“We have been preaching the gospel of how to vote and the importance of fair elections,” Musinguzi said.
He explained that voting activities will begin at 7:00 a.m. with the reading and verification of the village voters register, a process expected to continue until 10:00 a.m. at all polling stations.
Musinguzi cautioned that only individuals whose names appear on the official voters register will be allowed to participate, warning those not registered against disrupting the exercise.
At 11:00 a.m., village election officials will conduct voter education sessions to guide residents through the voting procedure before the actual election begins.
By 11:30 a.m., candidates will present themselves before the electorate, after which voters will line up behind the candidate of their choice. The lining-up process will last for 30 minutes before vote counting begins at 12:00 noon.
Musinguzi urged voters to remain in their respective lines until all candidates have been counted, saying leaving before the exercise is completed could disrupt the process.
After the declaration of results, the elected LC1 chairperson will immediately nominate members of the village executive committee. According to Musinguzi, the nominees must be registered voters and residents of the village, and the community has the right to reject any nominee considered unsuitable.
He appealed to residents to remain calm regardless of the election outcome, noting that candidates and voters belong to the same communities and will continue living together after the polls.
“There is no need to fight after the election. We will all remain in the same village,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kayunga Deputy Resident District Commissioner John Magezi warned that security agencies are on alert to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
Speaking after a district security meeting held at the Resident District Commissioner’s office, Magezi said anyone attempting to interfere with the elections, particularly individuals whose names are not on the voters register, will face prosecution.
“A free and fair election is the responsibility of all of us in a country with democracy,” Magezi said, calling on residents to cooperate with election officials and security personnel.
The LC1 elections will be conducted simultaneously in villages across Uganda, where residents will elect village chairpersons and executive committees. The leaders are responsible for grassroots governance, including resolving community disputes, mobilizing development initiatives, and serving as the first point of contact between citizens and higher levels of government.
Observers say the elections will provide another opportunity to assess Uganda’s commitment to democratic participation at the grassroots level, with transparency, accountability, and peaceful coexistence expected to be central to the exercise.
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