The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially unveiled the long-awaited roadmap for the election of Village (LC I), Parish (LC II) and Women Councils and Committees, setting the stage for Uganda’s long-awaited grassroots leadership polls after years of postponements.
Addressing journalists, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi announced that the electoral programme will commence on July 6, 2026, with the verification and registration of village residents, and conclude on August 10, 2026, with the election of Parish (LC II) Chairpersons.
The announcement follows years in which Parliament extended the tenure of local council leaders to prevent a leadership vacuum, after successive delays largely attributed to inadequate funding.
The exercise will cover 71,214 villages nationwide, with each village designated as a polling station during the LC I elections.
Under the roadmap, citizens aged 18 years and above who wish to participate will register between July 6 and July 10. This will be followed by the compilation and public display of the Village General Register and Village Women’s Register from July 13 to July 14 for verification.
The Commission has urged Ugandans to carefully scrutinise the registers and report irregularities, including names of deceased persons, minors, non-citizens and individuals who no longer reside in the villages where they are listed, in order to protect the integrity of the process.
According to the timetable, nominations for candidates seeking election as Village LC I Chairpersons and members of Village Women Committees will be conducted from July 15 to July 19, followed by campaign activities beginning on July 20.
Village Women Committee elections will be held on July 23, while LC I Chairperson elections are scheduled for July 28. Voting will be conducted through the open queue system, commonly known as “lining up,” where voters physically stand behind their preferred candidates, their representatives, portraits or symbols.
The EC noted that the method is provided for under Section 123(2) of the Local Governments Act, Cap. 243, for LC I elections, and Section 11(2) of the National Women Councils Act, Cap. 113, for Women Committee elections.
The Parish (LC II) phase will follow immediately after the village polls, concluding with the election of Parish Chairpersons on August 10, 2026.
Justice Byabakama urged all eligible Ugandans to actively participate in the electoral process, describing it as a key milestone in strengthening grassroots governance and restoring elected leadership structures at the local level.
By Olivia Nabaggala
22nd June 2026
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