NRM leaders in Entebbe Municipality have stated that the village-level leadership election has helped uncover irregularities and identify issues to address in preparation for the party's primary elections.
They claim that electing village committee leaders, including those carrying the NRM flag in the LC1 chairperson elections, has progressed significantly, despite some voters' names missing from the register.
Although heavy rain has recently worsened conditions, this has not deterred NRM members in Entebbe from mobilising for the election of village committee leaders, including those bearing the NRM flag for the LC1 chairperson positions.
In Bugonga Division A Entebbe Municipality, voters in one polling station were prioritised for verification to confirm their details in the register, ensuring only eligible NRM members participate.
However, tensions arose when some voters discovered their names were not in the register, with accusations of deliberate attempts to sabotage the election of certain candidates.
This led to a volatile situation, prompting heightened security measures to prevent disruptions.
Hakim Kiriggwa, the Entebbe Resident District Commissioner (RDC), reassured voters and urged them to remain calm, emphasising that officials must work transparently to enable everyone to vote.
He stated, "I urge the voters to stay calm and the responsible officers to work diligently on the issue of missing names to ensure a smooth voting process."
According to Shaka Steven, the NRM Chairperson for Entebbe Constituency, of the 24 villages in Entebbe, 17 have successfully elected their leaders without disputes.
He noted, "Entebbe has 24 villages, and 17 of them have agreed to bring forward leaders without any contestation."
The remaining seven villages are still participating in the election process, selecting committee leaders, youth, parents, people with disabilities, women, and war veterans.
Jovia Tugume ,a voter, raised an issue about missing names in the register, urging the NRM party to reconsider and extend the time for those affected. She argued,
"The NRM party should reconsider and extend the time for those who didn’t find their names in the register to ensure fairness in the process."Tugume added
The ongoing voter verification and complaints have slowed the village committee election process, impacting preparations for the NRM primaries.
Entebbe Municipality comprises four wards Kigungu, Kawafu, Central, and Katabi and 24 villages. Each village elects 30 leaders, meaning the municipality will have 720 elected leaders, including those carrying the NRM flag for the LC1 chairperson positions.