As the national voter registration and update process rolls on, political leaders at the grassroots level are intensifying efforts to secure their electoral futures. While some high-profile figures appear to offer little more than token gestures, local councilors are fighting tooth and nail to ensure their supporters are registered, transferred to the correct polling stations, and ready to vote.
At the heart of this intense political activity are the councilors, whose influence is primarily local. Unlike top national politicians—presidential candidates or Members of Parliament (MPs)—who may win their seats by appealing to broad national or regional demographics, councilors are elected from specific areas, making local voter engagement all the more crucial. This is especially true during the voter registration and update period, which can often determine the outcome of elections.
Our reporter visited the Avance and Nabweru voter registering stations in Nansana Municipality and witnessed firsthand how grassroots politicians are maneuvering in this crucial phase of the election cycle. The scene at Nabweru playground—next to the headquarters for Nansana Division—was one of frenetic political activity. From Sunday and throughout this week, the area has been a focal point for voter registration, updates, and transfers.
Several councilors—both incumbents and aspirants—were on the ground, engaging with voters directly. Kanakulya, the LC Chairperson for Nabweru South III, summed up the sentiment perfectly: “Voter registration is the real election. These days are as critical as, or even more important than, voting day itself. While top politicians may get their support from large, broad constituencies, councilors are elected by their immediate communities. It’s vital to make sure your voters are properly registered.”
The process was well-coordinated, with councilors pulling out all the stops to ensure their supporters were either registered for the first time or transferred to polling stations where they could cast their vote. Our reporter observed how several women were brought to the polling station by local councilors. Three of them were transferring their registration from other, distant stations to Nabweru, while the other two were new voters, eager to ensure their names appeared on the register.
Throughout the day, political leaders from multiple parties—the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Democratic Party (DP), and National Unity Platform (NUP)—were visible, guiding their supporters to registration desks. In addition, some leaders had even hired agents to station themselves near the registration area, collecting the contact details of voters who came in without direct support, ensuring that these voters could be contacted when election time came.
One councilor shared that the strategy was simple: “They collect the contacts to ensure they can reach these individuals on the day of the councilor election. You know, these lower-level elections often lose momentum once the presidential and parliamentary elections, which attract more attention, are over.”
Elsewhere in the villages, the hustle was palpable. Politicians were riding on boda bodas, megaphones in hand, rallying residents to visit the polling stations and update their voter details. Kikomaga Nanyonga, a former councilor and NRM grassroots leader, explained that their strategy included going door-to-door, encouraging people to transfer their registration if they had recently moved to the area. She also noted that each individual who registered in their “yellow book” had to be a registered voter.
While the registration process was active, challenges emerged. Vincent Kasule, the PWD (Persons with Disabilities) councilor, pointed out that while many voters participated, some were clearly uninformed about the process. “A lot of people still don’t understand the full scope of voter registration or how to go about transferring their registration,” he explained.
This lack of civic education, coupled with economic difficulties, led to a troubling development—many voters were now asking for money to cover transportation costs or to compensate for their time. Kasule noted that prospective voters were asking for between 5,000 to 10,000 shillings simply to show up at the registration centers, whether they were registering for the first time, updating their details, or transferring their registration. He added that it is increasingly becoming a “transactional process”.
The reality of this new dynamic was acknowledged by several councilors and political figures. another politician said that; “It’s becoming a tricky situation. People are seeing voter registration as an opportunity for a quick gain. While we understand that some people are struggling, it creates an unhealthy dynamic in the election process.”
For many lower level politicians, this trend is a direct result of a lack of civic education combined with the economic hardships facing many communities. Kasule echoed this arguing that the growing expectation that voters should be paid for engaging in the electoral process is a problem that could spiral out of control in the months leading up to the election.
John Bosco Sserunkuuma, a councilor with plans to contest for the Nansana Municipality parliamentary seat, shared with our reporter that an average councilor could spend up to 100,000 shillings a day on ongoing voter registration activities, much of it given as incentives to encourage people to show up.
He explained that additional costs, such as fuel, boda boda hires, and loudspeakers, further increase expenses. Over the six days of voter registration in their parish, Sserunkuuma noted that a councilor could easily spend between 600,000 and 1.8 million shillings.
Sserunkuuma explained that this is now the nature of local politics, with voters expecting something in return for their participation, even in basic electoral activities like voter registration. He attributed this trend to the NRM government, which, he believes, has fostered a culture of handouts to voters.
Reagan Mukasa, a youth councilor in Nansana, noted that due to limited individual resources, there is a growing trend among councilors to pool their funds for voter engagement activities. He added that since the start of the registration exercise, they have been collaborating to share the financial burden of ensuring their voters are registered.
Mariam Kyeyune, one of the residents brought to the polling station by a councilor, told our reporter that since it was the councilors who were seeking her vote, she wasn’t willing to spend her time without some form of compensation.
“If I’m leaving my stall to come here, there has to be something in it for me,” she said. She went on to explain that she was given a 5,000 shilling “lunch allowance” and a boda boda ride from her workplace, viewing it as compensation for the time she had lost.