MP Ssekikubo petitions NRM Electoral Commission to revoke Gen Rwashande’s nomination
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo. PHOTO/FILE/DAVID LUBOWA.
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Ssekikubo, through his lawyer Balirere Espire, submitted the petition on Friday, July 4, arguing that NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi wrongly nominated Gen Rwashande, who he claims does not possess the minimum formal education required to run for Parliament
Lwemiyaga County Member of Parliament Theodore Ssekikubo has petitioned the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission, seeking to revoke the nomination of retired Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande as an aspiring candidate for the party flag in the same constituency.
Ssekikubo, through his lawyer Balirere Espire, submitted the petition on Friday, July 4, arguing that NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi wrongly nominated Gen Rwashande, who he claims does not possess the minimum formal education required to run for Parliament. The legislator accused Gen. Rwashande of submitting forged academic credentials, saying the former military officer lacks qualifications equivalent to Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) as mandated by the Constitution and the Parliamentary Elections Act.
“It is a requirement that any person intending to contest for a parliamentary seat must have passed A-level or its equivalent, but Gen Rwashande has none,” Ssekikubo said. He further claimed that the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) erred in its evaluation, adding that the basic military training course from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in 1982, which formed part of the NCHE's basis, was invalid since UPDF did not exist at the time.
On June 19, the NCHE issued a certificate confirming that Gen Rwashande meets the academic threshold to run for Parliament. The certification was based on his military training and other qualifications, including a Diploma in Defense and Strategic Studies from the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army of China in 2007, a Company Commanders Course in Tanzania in 1998, and the contested basic military training course by UPDF in 1982.
The certificate, signed by NCHE Executive Director Professor Mary J. N. Okwakol, stated that Gen Rwashande had completed formal education of advanced level standard or its equivalent. Despite this, Ssekikubo insists that Gen. Rwashande lacks a UACE certificate and that his military qualifications do not meet the constitutional standard.
Speaking to The Monitor on Saturday, Dr. Tanga Odoi defended the nomination, saying the NRM Electoral Commission relies on documentation provided by relevant authorities such as NCHE and is not responsible for verifying the authenticity of academic qualifications.
“The NRM Electoral Commission is not UNEB or NCHE. We nominate candidates based on documents submitted. If a complaint arises, we forward it to the authority responsible for verification,” Odoi said. He added that July 4 was the deadline for receiving complaints from all aspirants and that these would be reviewed accordingly.
Gen. Rwashande is among five candidates officially nominated by the NRM to compete for the Lwemiyaga County flag in the upcoming primaries. Other contenders include former State Minister for Transport Joy Kabatsi, Edmond Bwire Nuwagaba, chief executive of N+B Global Logistics, and Kato Jacob Mwesigye. Additional aspirants such as John Patrick Kateeba, Geoffrey Tumusiime Ndengana, Migadde Juugu Amooti, and Dr. Asaph Tumwebaze are also expected to join the race as independents.
Gen. Rwashande launched his campaigns on Thursday, July 3, in Bulongo Sub-county, where he dismissed Ssekikubo’s allegations as baseless and politically motivated. He said his military qualifications are valid and equivalent to A-level education, which makes him eligible to run for Parliament under Ugandan law. NRM parliamentary primaries are scheduled for July 17.
