EC extends voting time as early celebrations mark LC1 elections
“The extension is done to cater for the late arrivals of voters who found their names already read out at their respective polling stations. We allowed them to keep verifying in the register until the voting is done not later than 4 pm official time,” Byabakama stated.
Electoral Commission Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama interacting with voters at Nkrumah village in Kampala Central Division in Kampala on Tuesday during the register verification exercise before voting (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
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Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama has extended polling hours for the Local Council 1 (LC1) elections nationwide to compensate for delays in voter verification caused by the late reading of the official voters' registers.
In certain areas of Kampala, the verification of voter registers was delayed because voters were arriving in small numbers for the exercise. This process was scheduled to begin at 7:00 am and conclude at 10:00 am. However, in some polling stations, the verification continued until 10:59 am, just before voting was set to start at 11:00 am. Initially, the voting was planned to end at 11:30 am, with the declaration of the chairperson-elect expected at 12:00 pm.
Voters at Pepsi Cola Village Industrial Area First Street listening to their names as they were read before voting on Tuesday, July 28 2026. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
Between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm, there was a scheduled nomination and approval process for the Executive Committee members by the village council, which included filling out form EC11.
However, with the extension, voting and declaration was pushed to 4:00 pm.
Electoral Commission Observer Bernard Owomuganda reading out names in the register for Pepsi Cola village electoral area on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, shortly before the voting took place. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
“The extension is done to cater for the late arrivals of voters who found their names already read out at their respective polling stations. We allowed them to keep verifying in the register until the voting is done not later than 4 pm official time,” Byabakama stated.
Samuel Aliku, who was declared the winner for Pepsi Cola village lining up during the voting exercise at Pepsi Cola village yard in Kampala on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
“Make sure whoever is read gets the voter verification slip to guard against multiple voting at polling stations, which can bring chaos,” he advised.
The extension gave polling stations affected by the delayed start additional time to verify voters who were waiting outside the designated electoral area.
Early celebrations in Pepsi Cola village
With voting and counting concluded early in some villages, celebrations broke out as winners were declared.
Shortly after National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Samuel Aliku was declared the winner of the Pepsi Cola village LC1 chairperson race, residents took to the streets to celebrate his victory.
Voters jubilating after their preferred candidate got the longest line before being declared the winner. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
“I declare Aliku, who got the highest number of votes, as the winner of Pepsi Cola village,” Electoral Commission returning officer Ivan Okecho said.
Aliku said all the women council positions had been filled unopposed on the NRM ticket.
“I am a carpenter, and I do business as a living. This is my second term, but I promise to work on cleaning the village, ensure peace and security in our area and shall preside over the identification of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds to employ the youth and women,” Aliku promised.
Voters appearing at the polling station in a vehicle shortly before voting, as massive crowds participated in village elections at Pepsi Cola village in Kampala. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
At Nkrumah village, voting had not started by press time, but agents of independent candidates Robert Kasiita and Farouk Lubega Dauda, together with National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Moses Kabali Kyakoma, were working hard to unseat NRM's Denis Muhumuza Mujwara.
Large numbers of voters turned up to participate in the LC1 elections, which are being conducted in all 71,214 villages using the "lining up behind candidates" voting method.
Ivan Okecho, the Electoral Commission returning officer at Pepsi Cola village, reads out the winner of LC.I elections, declaring Samuel Aliku as the overall winner on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)
Security agencies were directed to support the extended polling period to ensure order. Byabakama also urged voters to remain calm and adhere to the election guidelines.