Widespread low voter turnout characterizes LCV elections

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Even before the Electoral Commission releases figures on participation in the 2026 general elections, it is noticeable that the LCV elections this year are going to register the lowest voter turnout since 1996.

According to our reporters who covered this election across the country, by the time voting closed at 4pm, in many places less than 20% of the registered voters had turned up to vote. In Wakiso district, polling officials couldn’t wait to close polling stations as soon as the closing time came.

Before the official closing time, stations visited by our reporters were quiet. Polling officials sat idle for hours as the voters stayed away. The sun was harsh, so officials used umbrellas for shade.

Many spent the hours on their phones or in small conversations. Only one or two voters appeared at wide intervals.

By late afternoon an hour could pass without anyone arriving at many stations. When 4:00 pm came, officials closed and moved straight to counting. For instance, Nabweru South III [Namu-Z] Playground listed 657 registered voters, but only 71 ballots went into the box. Two were declared invalid.

The counting phase attracted little attention, contrasting the presidential election, which drew clusters of residents who wanted to follow each tally. This time the polling stations were quiet. Polling officials arranged the ballots in small piles. Candidates’ agents noted figures in notebooks. A few residents drifted back at select stations, and polling constables did not bar them from coming as close as they wished, ignoring the lowful limit.

Polling officials were taking extra time to clarify the difference between invalid and valid votes, slowing down the vote tallying process. In Kampala Central, tension erupted at TLC Sports playground in Kamwokya, where ten polling stations are located, after polling agents for Moses Kizito Nsubuga, an NRM candidate in the lord mayoral race, disputed an invalid vote set aside by polling officials due to double thumbprints.

Supporters and agents claimed the vote was valid, arguing that one thumb mark wasn’t pressed hard, and disagreed with the officials’ decision, specifically regarding the mark for their candidate’s box. The argument held up the tallying process for about 5 minutes as polling officials explained the situation, prompting police constables to intervene and calm the tension. Tugume Robert, a presiding official, stated that according to the law, a vote is invalid if it has double thumb marks for separate candidates or a tick in another candidate’s box. “People are complaining that we’re invalidating their votes, but the invalid votes we have are of the people who are ticking from one box of a candidate to another candidate’s box,” Tugume said. “These people are only wasting our time. We should have finished now.”

Meanwhile, in other areas, vote counting had concluded by 5:00 PM, with supporters of various candidates still waiting at polling stations for the final results, as candidates agents were seen tallying the results.

In Kampala’s Nakawa division, officials couldn’t wait for 4pm to close polling stations. Like it has been elsewhere, the voter turnout was extremely low.

In Mityana district, Busimbi Division Mayor Daudi Malagala attributed this to many factors, including voter fear of security harassment, low interest in local councils, the unsatisfactory campaigns of the candidates, among others.  In the Teso subregion, the delay was attributed to voter fatigue, a phenomenon that has increasingly become a concern in Ugandan elections.  ‎

In the Teso Sub Region, a significant number of voters chose to abstain from participating in the electoral process. ‎‎‎‎‎ In Kumi District, there were two contenders: Nelson Elungat Lakol, the incumbent chairperson from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), and Stephen Opolot, an independent candidate. However, despite the competitive nature of the race, voter turnout has been very low.‎‎‎‎ Julius Oumo, a voter in Bazaar ward, emphasized that many people in the municipality do not understand the roles of the local government, which he believes contributes to the low turnout.‎‎‎‎ He articulated the need for better civic education for residents regarding the responsibilities and functions of local leaders. ‎‎‎Oumo criticized the electoral commission for failing to effectively sensitize voters about their constitutional rights and the significance of electing leaders who would govern them for the next five years.‎‎‎‎

Michael Muguno, a vendor in Kumi Municipality’s main market, noted a persistent trend of low voter turnout for lower positions in elections, a pattern that has been consistent over the years.‎‎‎ He pointed out that voters tend to focus more on presidential and parliamentary elections, often overlooking local council elections. “These candidates we are to elect have not been mobilizing people to go and vote; that is why people are relaxed,” he asserted.‎‎‎‎

Muguno also highlighted that candidates have traditionally relied on financial incentives to motivate voting, but many leaders lack the resources to effectively reach out to voters across the district and sub-counties. ‎‎‎‎The lack of engagement is further compounded by the fact that many potential voters are preoccupied with their daily business activities, leaving them with little time or motivation to participate in elections.”People are waiting for next week, for the election of the mayor, but for this one, people are not interested,” Oumo lamented.‎‎‎‎‎

Moses Okaban, another voter from North Division in Kumi Municipality, expressed that the outcomes of recent parliamentary elections have negatively impacted current voter sentiments. He alleged that the results for Kumi Municipality’s parliamentary seat were not declared in accordance with the people’s will, leading to widespread discontent.

“People are not happy over the results, and that is why many are not voting today; they fear that something similar might happen again,” Okaban stated.

‎‎‎‎‎Meanwhile, Betty Arionget, the parish supervisor for Bazaar ward, reported delays in the election process as voters were slow to arrive, causing polling officers to wait for the necessary witnesses before opening ballot boxes. This situation further reflects the lack of urgency among the electorate.

‎‎‎‎In Serere District, election materials arrived late, around 8am, contributing to the low turnout. By 11am, polling stations were nearly deserted, with only polling agents present. Notable polling areas such as Kikota A and B, St. Max, Amotot, and Kakus reported minimal voter presence. ‎‎‎

Emmanuel Opus, an observer in Serere, shared his observations after visiting over 20 polling stations, noting the strikingly low turnout. Interacting with a few voters revealed that a significant number were fatigued by repeated voting and lacked confidence in the electoral commission’s integrity. “Voters are tired of repeated voting, and the mistrust of the EC leads many to abandon the local electoral process,” he explained. ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎

Similarly, Kaberamaido District has seen lower voter turnout across various polling stations.‎‎‎ ‎‎‎Joseph Okello from Agweng B village, Kaberemaido district, expressed disappointment in the electoral commission’s handling of votes, claiming that the NRM consistently receives preferential treatment, undermining the voting process.

Okello noted that candidates have failed to engage with their constituents effectively, leaving voters uninformed about their platforms.‎‎‎‎‎ In Ngora District, reports indicated that, by 1pm, many polling stations remained inactive, with candidates like Tonny Onai, Emmanuel Okello, and James Robert Otim vying for the LCV position had to launch a call on voters to go and cast their votes.‎‎

‎ In Soroti City, delays in the arrival of polling materials further hampered voter turnout across several stations, including Campswaihilli Mosque, St. Veronica Catholic, Islamic, Presbyterian, and Soroti DEM polling stations.

‎‎‎‎In Nakasongola district, Sam Kigula, the LC 5 Chairperson said people needed perks like being offered transport from home in order to travel to vote.

He says in some places, the behaviour of electoral officials was unbecoming.

In Lira City, the situation was not any different. For example, at Lango Quran senior quarters at polling station, polling started 12:07, and by 1:17 pm, only five people had voted.Whereas at Lira modern primary medical quarters B in Teso A ward, only 22 people had voted by 1:13pm. Grace Angom presiding officer, described the day as boring because voters were  not going to cast their votes.

The low voter turnout has triggered calls for streamlining local government and parliamentary elections to avoid lost votes.

The incumbent Mayor Sam Atul who is seeking re-election under the NRM noted that voter participation is significantly lower compared to parliamentary elections. He argued that without reforms, the local government elections will be relegated as something that doesn’t matter.

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