NRM Sweeps Jinja City LC1 Polls, Wins 90 Chairperson Seats

What the report says

Nile Post reported that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has taken most of the Local Council One chairperson seats so far declared in Jinja City, based on preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission. The report says NRM candidates won 90 of the 117 LC1 chairperson positions announced to date, making the party the leading performer in the city’s grassroots polls.

According to the report, Jinja Resident City Commissioner Salim Kumaketch described the outcome as a major share of village-level leadership for the NRM. Independent candidates came next with 12 seats, while the opposition National Unity Platform secured 11. The Forum for Democratic Change and the People’s Front for Freedom each won two chairperson positions.

Nile Post also reported that voting did not take place in 24 cells because of challenges affecting the process, though Kumaketch did not specify what those problems were. Authorities urged calm as arrangements continue for elections in the remaining areas, and the Electoral Commission is expected to guide the public on when voting will be held there.

The results matter because LC1 chairpersons are the first tier of elected local leadership in Uganda, often involved in community mobilisation, local administration and day-to-day civic coordination. While the figures point to continued NRM strength in Jinja City, the seats won by opposition and independent candidates also show that some neighbourhoods remain politically competitive or open to non-party-aligned leadership.