The Justice Forum (JEEMA) has announced plans to contest and win at least 65 per cent of Uganda’s village and parish leadership positions in the forthcoming Local Council I (LC1) and Local Council II (LC2) elections, describing the polls as the foundation for political change from the grassroots.
JEEMA said the elections present an opportunity for Ugandans to challenge nearly four decades of National Resistance Movement (NRM) rule by electing opposition-backed candidates across the country.
The party said it is targeting victory in about 46,000 of Uganda’s 71,227 villages, arguing that control of village councils is critical to influencing local governance and shaping the country’s political future.
“History teaches us that people-centred change begins in the villages. If citizens reclaim these spaces in this election cycle with honest, patriotic Ugandans, we will regain control of our country,” said Swab Kaggwa Nsereko, the party’s spokesperson.
JEEMA accused the ruling NRM of dominating Uganda’s political and economic landscape for nearly 40 years and warned against what it described as the entrenchment of dynastic rule.
The party also criticised the country’s rising public debt and management of national resources, arguing that continued borrowing would burden future generations while foreign investment was leaving many Ugandans landless and unemployed.
Nsereko said the LC1 and LC2 elections should not be viewed as routine political exercises but as an opportunity for citizens to reclaim leadership from the village level.
“This is our opportunity to launch a people-centred political renewal from the village upwards,” he said.
With the Electoral Commission having kicked off preparations for the long-awaited LC1 and LC2 elections, JEEMA urged eligible voters to actively participate, saying village and parish leaders play a critical role in land management, local security, health services and community development.
The party also appealed to voters to reject vote buying, arguing that the practice has weakened accountability and stalled development.
“For 40 years we have traded our votes for soap and Shs2,000. The result is destitution. We cannot pay school fees or sink boreholes without begging. Your vote is your testimony. Do not sell it,” Nsereko said.
JEEMA pledged to field candidates in all 71,227 villages and 10,595 parishes, either independently or in collaboration with other democratic forces.
Although acknowledging financial constraints, the party said it would provide aspiring candidates with nomination guidance, campaign materials, training on the Local Governments Act and manifesto support.
“You do not need millions to lead. You need courage, truthfulness and love for Uganda. Public office is a trust. Betray it, and you harm a generation. Honour it, and you save a nation,” Nsereko said.
The Electoral Commission recently launched the roadmap for the LC1 and LC2 elections, which are expected to fill grassroots leadership positions that have gone years without fresh polls.
The elections are regarded as an important step in strengthening local governance ahead of Uganda’s next electoral cycle
