By Ben Musanje
Government has unveiled the facilitation package for officials who will oversee the long-awaited Local Council (LC) and Women Council elections, with sub-county officials set to earn more than Shs500,000 monthly during the electoral exercise.
Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi Karugaba told Parliament that officials at different levels will receive allowances to support the smooth conduct of the elections scheduled to begin with voter registration and move through village, parish, and higher administrative units.
Kafuuzi, while presenting a government statement on preparations for the LC I, II and III Women Council elections, said sub-county election officials will be paid Shs546,433 per month for two months, while parish officials will receive Shs288,125 per month over the same period.
Village officials will receive Shs50,000 for the five-day voter registration exercise and Shs30,000 for the three-day display of the voters’ register.
He added that presiding officers will each receive Shs30,000 on polling day, while polling assistants and election orderly officers will be paid Shs20,000 each.
The Deputy Attorney General said the payments are part of government’s preparations to ensure the electoral process is properly facilitated from the grassroots.
The statement followed a directive by the Speaker of Parliament requiring the Attorney General to update legislators on the country’s preparedness for the delayed Local Council elections.
Kafuuzi assured Parliament that Uganda is ready to conduct the elections, saying the Electoral Commission has developed a comprehensive programme guided by existing laws to ensure a transparent and orderly process.
He explained that the process will begin with the registration and compilation of village council and village women council registers, which will form the basis for subsequent elections.
The registration exercise will be free of charge and conducted between 7am and 6pm on designated days. Eligible voters must be Ugandan citizens, aged 18 years and above, ordinarily residing in the respective villages, and willing to participate in village council activities.
For Women Council elections, only female Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above who are residents of the respective villages will qualify for registration.
Kafuuzi told MPs that the Electoral Commission will display village council and village women council registers on July 13th and 14th, 2026, allowing citizens to verify their details and identify names of persons who should be removed, including deceased persons, underage individuals, and those who have relocated.
He said nominations for village women committees will be conducted from July 15th to 19th, followed by campaigns from July 20th to 22nd, with polling scheduled for July 23rd, 2026.
The village women committees will comprise five members, including a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, publicity secretary, and secretary for finance. Candidates will not be required to pay nomination fees or present academic qualifications.
On Local Council One chairperson elections, Kafuuzi confirmed that the polls will be conducted under Uganda’s multiparty political system, urging political parties and independent candidates to prepare accordingly.
Nominations for LC I chairpersons will run from July 15th to 19th, while campaigns will take place between July 20th and 27th. Polling will be held on Tuesday, July 28th, 2026.
Candidates seeking LC I chairperson positions will not be required to pay nomination fees or possess academic qualifications but must be Ugandan citizens, registered voters, and residents of the villages where they intend to contest.
Voting will be conducted at public places within villages, beginning with voter verification and education, followed by voting, counting, and declaration of results.
After the election of LC I chairpersons, the elected leaders will nominate members of village executive committees responsible for areas including security, finance, production, youth affairs, women affairs, disability affairs, and older persons.
The electoral programme will then move to LC II elections, with parish and ward voters’ register compilation scheduled for July 29th, display on July 30th and 31st, nominations on August 3rd, campaigns from August 4th to 9th, and polling on August 10th, 2026.
Kafuuzi urged political parties, candidates, voters, and other stakeholders to follow electoral laws and guidelines to ensure peaceful and credible elections.
He said government remains committed to supporting the Electoral Commission to deliver the Local Council and Women Council elections in accordance with the law and the approved roadmap. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
