Minister Butime sued over lack of papers
Tom Butime, Tourism minister. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- In a March 9 petition to FortPortal High Court, Mr Simon Muhumuza Kateeba contends that the nomination and subsequent election of Mr Butime as the MP for Mwenge Central was illegal and void.
- Also sued together with Mr Butime are the Electoral Commission and Uganda National Examinations Board.
A former contestant for the Mwenge Central parliamentary seat in Kyenjojo District has sued Tourism minister Tom Butime, claiming he lacks requisite academic qualifications to be an MP.
In a March 9 petition to FortPortal High Court, Mr Simon Muhumuza Kateeba contends that the nomination and subsequent election of Mr Butime as the MP for Mwenge Central was illegal and void.
Also sued together with Mr Butime are the Electoral Commission and Uganda National Examinations Board.
Mr Muhumuza claims while the respondent was nominated as Tom Butime Ateenyi, his academic papers have variations in names, which include Tom Butime, Thomas Rwakaikara Butime, and Tom Butime Atennyi.
The petitioner says the inconsistencies are on his O-level and A-level certificates.
“…the certificate presented by the first respondent for the parliamentary elections in 2016 where the level of examinations therein was Cambridge School Certificate and the centre name was St Leo’s College Kyegobe, Fort Portal is totally and clearly different from the certificate issued by the second respondent on 29 June 2020 and presented by the first respondent for nominations which is to the effect that the first respondent’s level of education is East African Certificate of Education and the centre name is St Leo’s College Fort Portal, respectively which inconsistencies were ignored by the 2nd respondent in contravention of section 13 (c) and (e) of the parliamentary act 2005,” he said.
He also says the certificate purported to be Uganda Advanced Level Certificate presented by Mr Butime for nomination in 2016 were different from those presented in 2020 in levels of qualifications obtained.
Mr Muhumuza wants court to declare Mr Butime’s election null and void and fresh elections conducted.
On March 11, court told the minister to respond to the petition.
Mr Butime’s lawyers of Baobab Advocates say they have not received the petition but that they are ready to defend their client. Mr Kenneth Akampurira, one of the lawyers, said they are ready.
“I have not seen the petition and I cannot comment this time, but we are ready to defend him. Let me first get it and I read the content then we can talk [on it],” he said by telephone last evening.
