The race for village (LC1) chairperson positions has kicked off in Wakiso District, with political excitement, family rivalry and party endorsement disputes emerging during the nomination exercise in Mumyuka Sub-county.
Mumyuka, which has seven parishes and 36 villages, witnessed a colourful start to the exercise as aspirants arrived at the sub-county headquarters accompanied by supporters in motorcades, carrying placards and tree branches in a display of political enthusiasm.
The first candidate to be nominated was Sarah Kalule, the incumbent LC1 chairperson of Bulenga A Village and a member of the Democratic Party (DP).
Shortly after her nomination was confirmed by Mumyuka Sub-county Election Officer Orishaba Acline Dorothy, her daughter, Norah Nakabuye, also registered to challenge her for the same position.
Nakabuye said she decided to enter the race because she believes some community challenges remain unresolved despite her mother's achievements.
"My mother has done some good work, but there are still many issues that were not addressed. I have the energy to complete what remains undone, and I want to ensure that young people, who have been neglected for a long time, are given priority," Nakabuye said.
The Sumbwe Village LC1 race also attracted attention after National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer Kizito Salim arrived at the nomination venue with a large convoy of supporters on vehicles and motorcycles.
Salim said his decision to contest was driven by the need to ensure that government programmes benefit ordinary residents.
"Many government programmes have failed to reach the intended beneficiaries because some leaders have mismanaged public resources. I also want to address the persistent water shortage in Sumbwe and ensure residents have access to clean and safe water," he said.
Meanwhile, the return of former Bulaga B Village chairperson Vincent Bugembe to elective politics sparked controversy after some National Resistance Movement (NRM) officials questioned his party endorsement.
Mumyuka Sub-county NRM Chairperson Ndyanabo Aron claimed the party had endorsed Tubejuka Emmanuel as its official candidate.
"As the party, we officially issued the NRM card to Tubejuka Emmanuel. We do not know the process through which Bugembe obtained his party card," Aron said.
However, Tubejuka clarified that he had initially obtained nomination cards for both the LC3 and LC1 positions before choosing to contest for the LC3 seat.
"I had two nomination cards, one for LC3 and another for LC1. After deciding to contest for LC3, I handed the LC1 card to Bugembe through the proper party procedures," he explained.
Several candidates said they had mobilised support because residents were eager to elect leaders capable of addressing persistent challenges affecting service delivery at village level.
Election Officer Orishaba Acline Dorothy urged all aspirants to adhere to electoral guidelines throughout the nomination and campaign period.
"We have guided all candidates on the nomination requirements and the rules governing the election process. I encourage everyone to follow the regulations to ensure a peaceful and credible election," she said.
The nomination exercise, which started on Tuesday, will close on Sunday, after which campaigns for the village leadership positions will continue ahead of the elections.