As Uganda prepares for the long-awaited Local Council I (LC I) elections, a veteran village chairperson in Ibanda Municipality has declared that he will continue seeking office for as long as President Yoweri Museveni remains in power.
Ssali Kyeyune, 67, the LC I chairperson of Katoma I Cell in Kagongo Division, is seeking another term after serving continuously since 1986, saying his experience remains critical in providing effective grassroots leadership.
His remarks come as thousands of candidates campaign ahead of the nationwide LC I elections scheduled for July 28.
In an interview, Kyeyune said he has no objection to younger people taking over leadership but argued that many young leaders are not yet prepared to handle the responsibilities that come with village administration.
“I'm not against young leaders taking over, but the youth nowadays are not easy and are not behaving well. If I remain in power and I get a capable young person to replace me, I will support them. But if President Museveni continues in power, I will also continue in power until he leaves power,” Kyeyune said.
The veteran chairperson said experienced leaders still have an important role in mentoring younger generations, maintaining order and ensuring continuity in community leadership.
Kyeyune added that he would only step aside when he is convinced that a competent and committed young leader is ready to take over and continue serving residents effectively.
His comments come amid campaigns for village elections that have attracted both long-serving incumbents and first-time candidates seeking leadership positions at the grassroots level.
The Electoral Commission has set Tuesday, July 28, as polling day for LC I chairperson elections in all 71,214 villages across the country.
The elections are part of the wider Local Council electoral roadmap, which also includes elections for village women committees and parish chairpersons.
Candidates were nominated between July 15 and July 19, while campaigns are running from July 20 to July 27. Elections for Village Women Committees are scheduled for July 23, while Parish (LC II) chairperson elections will be held on August 10.
Voting will be conducted using Uganda’s traditional open queue system, where voters line up behind the candidate, representative, portrait or political symbol of their choice. Voter verification will begin at 7:00am, followed by lining up and vote counting later in the morning.
Unlike candidates seeking higher elective offices, those contesting for LC I chairperson positions are not required to have formal academic qualifications or pay nomination fees. Political parties can also sponsor candidates alongside independent candidates under Uganda’s multi-party political system.
The upcoming elections will mark the first nationwide LC I polls in several years and are expected to determine leadership at the country’s lowest administrative level, where local councils play a key role in community mobilisation, conflict resolution and grassroots governance.
