The Electoral Commission has declared itself ready to conduct the Adjumani West parliamentary by-election scheduled for Thursday, September 17, with all voting materials received and arrangements in place to distribute them to polling stations.

Christine Akao Eunice, the Adjumani district returning officer, said the commission had received all the materials required for the election and was finalising arrangements to transport them to the 114 polling stations across the constituency.

She said the distribution would be completed in time to allow polling to start at 7am as required by law.

“We have received every material needed for voting tomorrow. Arrangements have been made to ensure that the materials are transported to all the 114 polling stations to allow voting to start at 7am,” Akao said.

She added that biometric voter verification machines would be used during the exercise to verify voters before they cast their ballots.

Electoral Commission chairman Simon Byabakama said the by-election preparations began with an update of the national voters’ register between August 5 and 7, 2026, covering all the 23 parishes in Adjumani West Constituency.

The updated voters’ register was subsequently displayed at all 114 polling stations to allow voters to verify their particulars and raise any concerns.

Byabakama said nominations for the parliamentary seat were conducted on September 7 and 8 at the Adjumani Electoral Commission returning office.

Four candidates were initially duly nominated Ben Anyama Anyama and Patrick Tandrupasi, both independents, Gasper Draga, an independent, and James Leku Pili, the NRM candidate.

However, Byabakama said the commission subsequently received formal letters withdrawing the candidatures of Anyama and Tandrupasi.

“The commission wishes to inform voters in Adjumani West that they received letters of withdrawal from Ben Anyama, an independent, and Patrick Tandrupasi, an independent. Accordingly, these people will not appear on the ballot paper in tomorrow’s by-election,” he said.

The withdrawal leaves Leku Pili and Draga as the candidates contesting the seat.

The campaign period, which started on September 8, ended on September 15. Byabakama commended the candidates and their supporters for what he described as a largely peaceful campaign.

“We did not have any violence during the campaigns. When we say campaigns ended yesterday, they ended. There should be no more campaigns, not even on radio or any media platform,” he said.

Byabakama said candidates could only meet their polling agents for final briefings and logistical planning ahead of polling.

The Regional Police Commander for Northwest Nile, Superintendent of Police Joseph Mwesige, urged candidates, their supporters and voters to maintain discipline throughout the voting process.

Mwesige said police had not recorded any acts of violence during the campaign period and assured residents that security personnel were prepared to maintain order during polling.

“We shall be prepared to ensure the process ends very well,” he said.

Leku urged voters to respect one another and observe the laws governing elections.

The Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Emmanuel Okwari, said the district authorities had been monitoring the electoral process and remained committed to ensuring that the election was conducted successfully.

According to Electoral Commission figures, Adjumani West Constituency has 51,438 registered voters drawn from five sub-counties and local government areas—Ukusijoni, Ciforo, Adropi, Pachara and Adjumani Town Council.

With voting materials already received, biometric verification machines in place, and security and election officials deployed, attention now shifts to polling day, when voters will choose their representative for the constituency.