The Electoral Commission (EC) has been petitioned to recall the nomination of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the Mbarara District Woman MP, Loydah Kyarikunda Twinomujuni, over allegations of questionable academic qualifications.
The petitioner, Ms Hope Maurishia, an independent candidate in the same race, contends that she has written to various government institutions, including the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and Makerere University, about the alleged questionable Diploma award in Palliative Care to Ms Twinomujuni by Makerere University.
“The National Council for Higher Education has since responded to your letter confirming that the document presented by Ms Twinomujuni to this Commission was forged and therefore, must be treated as such,” the lawyers of the petitioner, Ms Maurishia, wrote to the EC on November 1.
Adding: “Having confirmed that Ms Twinomujuni does not possess a valid certificate by the National Council for Higher Education… the Commission should recall and nullify the nomination of Ms Twinomujuni from contesting for the position of Woman Member of Parliament for Mbarara District.”
Regarding the Diploma award in Palliative Care that Ms Twinomujuni acquired from Makerere University, it has been questioned because Prof. Venansius Baryamureebe, who allegedly signed on it as the Vice Chancellor, was not yet appointed the VC of Makerere University at the time of her graduation.
‘Our client has received reliable information that one of her opponent possess Diploma in Palliative Care awarded to her on the 5th October, 2006 in the 52nd graduation ceremony held at Freedom Square but apparently, the Vice Chancellor who signed her diploma award was then Prof Baryamureebe Venansius who from available information from the internet was appointed Vice Chancellor in November, 2009,’ the lawyers of the petitioner wrote to Makerere University.
This publication has also seen a response from the NCHE, dated November 6, clarifying that the letter dated October 12, attributed to them, clearing Ms Twinomujuni as having the requisite qualifications to contest for the MP position, was a forgery.
‘Please note that the letter dated 12th October 2021 you submitted, attributing it to the National Council for Higher Education, is a forgery. Tendering a false/ forged document is a crime under Ugandan law,’ Prof. Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of Uneb, wrote.
In the alleged forged letter attributed to the NCHE dated October 12th, it was stated that upon perusal of all academic documents (originals) submitted for consideration, they certified that Ms Twinomujuni possessed sufficient qualifications equivalent to Advanced Level of Education and beyond.
The Electoral laws demand that for one to qualify to contest for the position of MP must possess a minimum of a Senior Six certificate or its equivalent.
Ms Twinomujuni, when contacted on Thursday, briefly said, “We are in politics and that is pure propaganda.”
The Electoral Commission is set to hear the petition lodged by Ms Maurishia on Friday and determine its merits.
Mr Paul Bukenya, the Deputy Spokesperson for the electoral body, on Thursday, said the Commission has so far received over 70 petitions following the parliamentary nominations.
‘I don’t have the specifics of Ms Maurishia’s petition, but what I know the Commission has received over 70 petitions resulting from the parliamentary nomination disputes, and the Commission is even sitting right now to hear out some of them,’ Mr Bukenya said in a telephone interview.