The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) Party has urged the government of Uganda to consider carrying out Local Council I and II elections as they are long overdue.
While speaking to members of the press on July 3, 2024, at the party headquarters at Uganda House in Kampala, the party spokesperson, Sharon Arach, said that on top of the LC I and LC II elections, the women’s leadership elections have not been conducted, and this denies the citizens their right to choose their local leaders.
“It should be remembered that LC I and II elections were due in July 2023, and this is the third time the government is postponing the elections of this very important structure. This is not any different from the Women Councils, whose elections are long overdue,” Arach said.
Arach blamed the delay of these local elections on a lack of goodwill by the government to hold the elections, and noted that if the government was interested in conducting them, they would have added their costs to the recently passed budget.
“This is a regrettable experience that undermines the development of our young democracy and is a deliberate effort to deny the citizens of Uganda the right to elect their leaders. UPC has always noted that there is a lack of goodwill by the government to hold the LC 1 and II elections as well as women’s councils. If the government had goodwill to conduct these local council elections, it wouldn’t have extended at a time when the budget has just been read,” Arach added.
Arach’s comments follow the extension of the term of the office of administrative unit councils (LC 1 and II) for another one hundred eighty days (180) starting on July 4, 2024, by the Minister of Local Government following the second extension, which expired today, July 3, 2024.
In January 2024, the State Minister for Information, Godfrey Kabyanga, announced the extension of the term of office for both LC1 and LC2 offices and women councils, from January 6, 2024, for another period not exceeding 180 days.
According to the Ministry of Local Government, the reason for the delay in holding the elections is a lack of funds.
