By Prosper Gibolo
Peter Lonya Jupitex, chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party for Kotido Municipality, is highly confident that the party’s candidates will win all LCI, LCII, and Women Council positions in the upcoming elections.
In February 2026, the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magezi, announced that the LCI, LCII, and Women Council elections will be conducted between March and April, with voting done through lining up across 70,000 villages countrywide as provided in the Local Government Act.
The government has repeatedly extended the LCI, LCII, and Women council mandate due to budget constraints, but Minister Magezi is optimistic that this time will be different.
Though the Electoral Commission has not announced the exact voting date, Peter Lonya Jupitex said that the NRM party leadership in Kotido Municipality is ready for the upcoming local elections.
He emphasised the need for the public to take the LCI, LCII, and Women Council elections seriously, when electoral commission announces official voting date.
Lonya describe LCI chairpersons serve as a communication channel between the government, the district, and the people in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
According to the Ministry of Local Government, the LCI and LCII chairpersons have the mandate to handle, among others, cases relating to debts not exceeding Shs 2 million, contracts, assaults, damage to property, trespass, and disputes in respect to customary land.
They derive their mandate from the Constitution, the Local Government Courts Act 2006, the Local Council Court Regulations 2007, and the Local Government Act Cap 243.
However, the Electoral Commission of chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, urged aspiring LC1 chairpersons to hold off on campaigning, saying its preparations for the upcoming local elections are not yet complete.
The government has allocated Shs56.9 billion for the polls, which will see the replacement of leaders across 71,230 villages and 10,717 sub-counties.
