The National Peasants’ Party (NPP) has called for fresh Village Women Council elections in areas where it alleges widespread irregularities marred Thursday’s polls.
In a statement signed by the party’s Secretary General, Sharif Sentongo Nambale, the NPP accused security agencies and electoral officials of presiding over a flawed electoral process that undermined democratic principles.
The party alleged that the elections were characterised by intimidation, violence, ballot stuffing, result manipulation and the declaration of candidates without vote counting in some areas.
“The National Peasants’ Party strongly condemns the shameful conduct of today’s LC Women Representatives elections across the country,” the statement said.
The NPP also accused the Electoral Commission of failing to remain impartial and claimed that armed security personnel were deployed to intimidate voters while women’s participation was suppressed during the exercise.
The opposition party is demanding the cancellation of results in areas affected by the alleged irregularities, investigations and prosecution of those responsible, protection of women’s voting rights, and an explanation from the Electoral Commission to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
The statement further expressed solidarity with women and other voters who, it said, resisted what it described as “an assault on democracy.”
Thursday’s Village Women Council elections marked the first phase of Uganda’s Local Council electoral programme ahead of the LC I elections scheduled for July 28 and the LC II elections on August 10.
Reports from various parts of the country indicated delays in voting, disputes over voter registers, allegations of voter intimidation and other procedural challenges. Opposition political parties had raised concerns about the conduct of the elections during the campaign period.
The Electoral Commission had previously said it had completed preparations for the polls, including recruiting and training election officials, and urged all stakeholders to ensure peaceful participation.
The Village Women Council elections are part of Local Council electoral cycle, which elects grassroots leaders responsible for community mobilisation and representing women at village level.
The elections follow the expiry of the previous Local Council leaders’ mandate and are being conducted under a roadmap that includes Village Women Council elections on July 23, LC I elections on July 28 and LC II elections on August 10.
By Thursday evening, the Electoral Commission had not publicly responded to the specific allegations made by the National Peasants’ Party.
