EC Announces Fresh LC I Election Schedule for Affected Villages

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced a fresh timetable for villages where the Local Council I (LC I) elections were disrupted, saying repeat registration, nominations and voting will be conducted in the affected areas to ensure every village elects its leaders.

Speaking after Tuesday’s village elections, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said although the exercise was successfully conducted in many parts of the country, several villages experienced challenges that prevented voting from taking place.

“In some villages, what took place today was only to fill vacant positions, and we are still waiting for the final results from across the country,” Byabakama said.

He revealed that the Commission has already received several complaints arising from the elections and is reviewing each case before determining the appropriate course of action.

“The Commission has received a number of complaints, and we shall handle each one after thoroughly reviewing the circumstances surrounding it,” he said.

Byabakama explained that in villages where elections failed to take place because voter registers were destroyed, fresh voter registration will be conducted on Thursday, July 30.

The registers will then be displayed for verification on Friday, July 31, before residents return to the polls on Saturday, August 1.

He added that in villages where voting did not take place but the voter registers remain intact, residents will not be required to register again and will instead vote directly on Saturday, August 1.

The EC chairperson also said villages where candidates had earlier been disqualified during the nomination process will hold fresh nominations on Wednesday morning, followed by campaigns on Friday and elections on Saturday.

However, he clarified that villages where elections were successfully conducted and leaders were duly elected will not repeat any stage of the electoral process.

“These arrangements are intended to ensure that every village elects its leaders and is properly represented,” Byabakama said.

He appealed for calm in areas where disputes arose following the declaration of results, saying the Commission would address all complaints through the established legal process.

“We appeal for calm, even in places where people have disagreed with the outcome of the elections. We shall address all complaints after carefully examining every matter brought before the Commission,” he said.

Byabakama also warned against attempts to disrupt the repeat elections, saying the Commission would work with security agencies to ensure the exercise is conducted peacefully.

“We warn anyone intending to disrupt the repeat elections that firm action will be taken against them in accordance with the law,” he said.

The repeat exercise is expected to conclude the remaining village elections and ensure all affected villages are represented by duly elected Local Council I leaders.