The Ministry of Local Government has confirmed that elections for Local Councils 1 and 2, including Women Councils, will be held by the end of April 2026. This was disclosed by Minister of State Hon. Victoria Rusoke during a parliamentary sitting on 12 March 2026, presided over by Speaker Anita Among.
The terms of office for LCs 1 and 2 elected in 2018 expired in 2023, with elections postponed six times due to a combination of legal, administrative, boundary, and funding challenges.
During plenary, Hon. Keefa Kiwanuka (Kiboga East County MP) questioned the government over conflicting statements regarding election funding. While the Electoral Commission (EC) asserted that funds had been released, the Ministry of Local Government cited a Shs58 billion shortfall. Cabinet had reportedly indicated elections would take place in March and April.
Kiwanuka stressed that prolonged delays have created a governance gap, with communities relying on structures that are arguably unelected. Speaker Among emphasized that funding discrepancies must be clarified to restore democratic local leadership.
With Uganda’s more than 70,000 villages relying on LCs 1 and 2 for governance and program implementation, the upcoming elections are seen as critical to reinstating democratic representation at the grassroots level.