EC Warns Unregistered Residents Against Turning Up for Village Elections

The Electoral Commission has warned residents whose names do not appear on the relevant village registers that they will not be allowed to participate in the Village Women’s Committee elections on Thursday or the LC I chairperson elections next Tuesday.

 

Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said only people who registered during the recently concluded exercise will be recognised as voters in their respective villages.

 

The Village Women’s Committee elections will be held on July 23, while voting for LC I chairpersons is scheduled for July 28, 2026, in all 71,214 villages across Uganda.

 

For Thursday’s elections, only women whose names appear on the Village Women’s Council Register will be allowed to vote.

 

“If you never registered as a resident in your village, please do not waste time going to the polling venue because you are not a voter,” Byabakama said.

 

The same requirement will apply during the LC I elections, where only residents listed on the Village Council Register will participate in electing the chairperson and approving members of the Village Executive Committee.

 

The Commission compiled the Village Residents Registers and Village Women Residents Registers between July 6 and July 10.

 

The registers were displayed from July 13 to July 14, allowing residents to verify their names, National Identification Numbers or application identification numbers, age, gender and village of residence.

 

Residents were also allowed to challenge the inclusion of people believed not to be residents of the village, Ugandan citizens or aged 18 and above.

 

Byabakama said some complaints concerning the eligibility of registered residents and nominated candidates were raised during the registration and nomination exercises.

 

Complaints involving the registers were handled by Parish Complaints Committees, while those arising from the nomination of candidates were referred to the Electoral Commission for hearing and determination.

 

The Commission said it would communicate its decisions to the affected parties and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.

 

Campaigns for the Village Women’s Committee elections, which began on July 20, conclude on Wednesday.

 

Each committee will comprise a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, publicity secretary and secretary for finance.

 

Voting will be conducted in an open place within each village, with registered women lining up behind their preferred candidates, representatives, portraits or symbols.

 

Meanwhile, campaigns for LC I chairperson candidates will continue until July 27 and must be conducted between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

 

Candidates have been directed to restrict their campaigns to the villages where they are contesting.

 

On LC I polling day, registered residents will assemble at their polling centres between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Presiding officers will then conduct voter education before voting begins at 11:00 a.m.

 

The Commission expects voting and counting to be completed by about 11:30 a.m., after which the winner will be declared.

 

The elected chairperson will then nominate members of the Village Executive Committee, who must be approved by registered residents through a show of hands.

 

Byabakama urged candidates to attend the exercise in person because the elected chairperson will be required to immediately preside over the formation of the executive committee.

 

“A portrait cannot nominate members of the executive committee,” he said.

 

The Commission urged registered voters to turn up in large numbers and participate peacefully while observing the law and electoral guidelines.