There is limited research that presents both technical and non-technical factors that influence e-participation. The aim of the paper is to identify technical and non-technical factors that influence e-participation design and use in rural Uganda. This was achieved by drawing on Isingiro District’s citizens and government leaders’ experiences and socio-technical context data through 43 in-depth interviews. The study shows that a wide range of individual factors, institutional and socio-cultural practices hinder uptake of usage of ICTs in political participation and some enabling factors. Our study lays the foundation for researchers, governments, policymakers, and e-participation designers to identify necessary conditions for designing effective e-participation models and systems in settings similar to rural western Uganda.