NPP Demands Fresh Village Women Council Elections Over Alleged Irregularities

What the report says

Nile Post reported that the National Peasants’ Party (NPP) is seeking the cancellation and rerun of Village Women Council elections in parts of Uganda where it says the voting process was compromised. The party’s position was outlined in a statement signed by Secretary General Sharif Sentongo Nambale after Thursday’s polls.

According to the report, the NPP accused security agencies and electoral officials of weakening the credibility of the grassroots elections. The party alleged intimidation, violence, ballot stuffing, manipulation of results and instances where candidates were announced without votes being counted. It also claimed the Electoral Commission failed to act impartially and that armed personnel were used in ways that discouraged voters, including women, from participating freely.

The party is asking for results to be cancelled in affected areas, for investigations and possible prosecution of those responsible, for safeguards around women’s voting rights, and for an explanation from the Electoral Commission. Nile Post noted that, by Thursday evening, the commission had not publicly responded to the NPP’s specific claims.

The elections were the opening stage of Uganda’s current Local Council electoral programme, with LC I elections scheduled for July 28 and LC II elections for August 10, according to the article. Village Women Councils are part of local governance structures that support community mobilisation and women’s representation at village level. Nile Post also reported broader complaints from different areas, including voting delays, disputes over registers, alleged intimidation and procedural problems, while noting that the Electoral Commission had earlier said preparations had been completed and urged peaceful participation.