The National Resistance Movement Party Secretary General Rt. Hon. Justice Kasule Lumumba has said that the party is performing exceedingly well in Local Government elections with results received for district councillors putting the ruling party in a comfortable lead of 74%.
“With only six districts remaining for the district councillors elections, NRM has 74% so far. I want to congratulate NRM district councillors who were able to be given the confidence by the people in different parts of the country to go and make decisions on behalf of people at the district level,” Lumumba said.
She also gave highlights of elections of municipality and city division mayors and councillors saying the NRM has also trounced other parties with 50% lead ahead of the National Unity Platform.
“I also want to inform you that we had elections on Monday for the municipalities for mayors and councillors and city divisions. Out of 56 positions, NRM won 28 seats which gives us 50%, NUP won 12 seats which translates into 21.4%, FDC won 9 seats making it 16.0%, DP 1 seat 1.7%, UPC 2 seats 3.57%, 4 seats went to independents which is 7.4%,” she adds.
Lumumba, however, congratulated those who won as mayors for the municipalities and mayors for the city divisions and urged them to prioritise clean cities and towns.
“I urge the elected leaders of urban councils to clean our cities. And on behalf of the NRM party, we shall work with all of you to make sure we improve on the livelihood of our people in the urban areas because the numbers keep increasing due to rural-urban movement. So we should work together to make sure as people move from rural areas to urban areas they find conditions that are favourable for them to enable them have some incomes and also take care of their families and themselves,” She said.
In a special message Lumumba thanked the Uganda People’s Defence Forces for voting their representatives in parliament in an election she described as most peaceful.
“I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate those who are voted by the UPDF, the ten representatives of the army. And I want to thank them for peaceful election which is typical of the force.”
She however reminded Ugandans of the elections for the four regional youth representatives slated to take place tomorrow 1st February at the various election centres.
According to the law the elections for the representatives of the youth in parliament are conducted in different regions. The electoral commission gazetted places where elections are going to take place. For northern Uganda the delegates conference will be in Gulu, for western it will be in Mbarara, for central it will be in Mubende and for eastern it will be in Mbale.
“As NRM, we have dispatched teams that are working with people in those areas. We have put a lot of effort to mobilize the youth to make sure we win majority seats in the youth councils. The very people whom we supported to win these youth council positions are the very people who have assembled to vote. So I expect them to support us by voting NRM and the party should win the four seats,” Lumumba said.
The final elections of leaders to lower local government councils (sub county chairperson and councillors; town council chairpersons and councillors; municipality divisions and councillors) will be held countrywide, on Tuesday, 3rd February, 2021.
Local governments are key since they are at the forefront of nurturing citizen engagement, service delivery and management of public space. They also monitor lower level units at sub-county level.