KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC) has officially unveiled a nationwide roadmap for the long-awaited elections of Local Council One (LC I), Parish Council (LC II) and Women Councils and Committees, marking the formal start of one of the country’s largest grassroots electoral exercises.
The process, which will begin in early July 2026, will cover more than 71,000 villages across the country and conclude with village and parish-level polls aimed at strengthening local governance structures.
Addressing the media in Kampala on Monday, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon confirmed that government had released the necessary funding to facilitate the exercise, ending prolonged delays that had stalled the electoral calendar.
“The programme has been long awaited, and we want to thank and appreciate the people of Uganda for the patience they have exhibited up to now,” Justice Byabakama said.
Nationwide voter registration begins July 6
According to the Commission, the electoral process will start with verification of residents and compilation of the Village LC I and Women’s Council registers from July 6 to July 10, 2026.
Registration will take place at designated village centres daily between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and will be conducted free of charge.
Eligible participants must be Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above, ordinarily resident in the village where they seek registration, and willing to participate in local council activities. Women will be required to register in both the Village Council Register and Women’s Council Register.
Applicants will be required to provide identification details including name, National Identification Number or application number, age, gender and village of residence.
Register verification and cleaning exercise
The provisional registers will be displayed from July 13 to July 14 to allow residents to verify their details and correct any errors.
The Commission urged residents to identify and report discrepancies, including deceased persons, non-residents, underage individuals and non-citizens, as part of efforts to ensure credible voter lists.
Justice Byabakama described the verification exercise as central to safeguarding transparency and electoral integrity.
Women Council elections on July 23
Elections for Village Women Committees will be held on July 23, 2026, following nominations scheduled for July 15 to July 19.
The committees will consist of five members: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Publicity Secretary and Secretary for Finance.
Candidates must be Ugandan women aged 18 and above, resident in the village and registered in the Women’s Council register. No academic qualifications or nomination fees will be required.
Campaigns will run from July 20 to July 22, ahead of polling.
Voting will be conducted using the traditional lining-up method, where voters physically align behind their preferred candidates, symbols or representatives.
LC I elections to be held under multi-party system
The Commission confirmed that elections for Village LC I Chairpersons will be conducted under Uganda’s multi-party political framework.
Nomination forms will be issued from July 9 to July 14, with official nominations running from July 15 to July 19.
Campaigns will take place between July 20 and July 27, but will be strictly confined to candidates’ respective villages.
“No candidate is allowed to hold physical campaigns outside or beyond his or her village,” the Commission warned.
Polling for LC I Chairpersons will take place on July 28, 2026, with each village serving as a polling station.
Voting and counting will be conducted through the open ballot system, using lining-up behind candidates or their symbols.
Polling-day process and structure
On election day, voter verification will run from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., followed by briefing and voter education.
Voting and counting will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., after which results will be declared at village level.
The afternoon session will focus on the formation of Village Executive Committees, comprising 11 members responsible for key community governance functions including security, finance, youth, women, environment and persons with disabilities.
Parish elections to follow
The Electoral Commission (EC) further announced that Parish (LC II) elections will follow immediately after village polls.
Compilation of parish registers will take place on July 29, followed by display from July 30 to July 31.
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Nominations for Parish Chairpersons are scheduled for August 3, with campaigns running from August 4 to August 9. Polling will be conducted on August 10, 2026.
Call for participation
Justice Byabakama urged all stakeholders—including political parties, candidates and voters—to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines to ensure a peaceful and orderly process.
He emphasized that grassroots elections remain critical to strengthening local governance and improving service delivery.
“The Commission urges all Ugandans to participate in this electoral programme and to do so in accordance with the guidelines for each activity,” he said.
The roadmap marks the beginning of a massive nationwide democratic exercise expected to mobilize millions of Ugandans at the village and parish levels.
