A total of 85 out of the 223 candidates who had initially expressed interest in contesting for Local Council I (LC I) chairperson positions in Lyantonde District have been declared unopposed after their rivals withdrew from the race.
The development leaves 138 candidates set to compete in the elections ongoing today, with voters expected to choose among the remaining contestants across the district.
The unopposed victories followed a consensus-building process, particularly among members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), where several candidates agreed to step down in favour of fellow party members in a bid to avoid internal competition.
Competition in Lyantonde has largely been among NRM members, prompting party leaders to intervene and encourage unity among candidates ahead of polling day.
The consensus meetings were led by NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja, who urged party members to prioritise cohesion, arguing that internal divisions could weaken the party’s support base.
Namayanja told supporters that the NRM remains the dominant political force in Lyantonde District and Uganda at large, saying there was no need for party members to compete against each other.
She later presented and endorsed the NRM flag bearers during a gathering attended by party supporters, where she raised their hands as a symbolic introduction to voters ahead of the elections.
Polling in Lyantonde District is scheduled to begin at 7:00am and close at 4:00pm. Electoral officials are expected to announce winners after the completion of vote counting.
The elections are part of the nationwide exercise to elect Local Council I chairpersons, who serve as key grassroots leaders responsible for community mobilisation, local dispute resolution and coordination of service delivery at village level.