KAMPALA. Popular Kadongokamu singer Mathias Walukugga who is vying for Busiro East Parliamentary seat,Wakiso District insists that he is still in the race despite the Election Commission throwing him out .
In a statement on Tuesday, the Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama said Mr Walukaga lacked the requisite minimum formal qualifications for the elective office of Member of Parliament because the academic documents he presented had already expired.
“Accordingly, candidate Walukaga Mathias lacked the requisite minimum formal qualifications for the elective office of Member of Parliament as stipulated under Section 4 (1) (C) of the parliamentary Elections Act, Cap 177. Candidate Walukaga therefore stands denominated,” reads part of Justice Byabakama’s letter copied to the returning officer of Wakiso Electoral District.
Addressing Journalists moments after the EC pronouncement, Walukagga alongside NUP secretary general Lewis Rubongoya said EC had played double standards after clearing the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer in Lwemiyaga Parliamentary race Brig (rtd) Emmanuel Rwashande on the basis of submitting a clearance certificate from National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) ,which the NUP candidate also did .
“The EC boss justice Simon Byabakama said that if it is NCHE which cleared Brig.Rwashande ,EC cannot contest their decision , why he is now contesting a similar certificate I presented issued by the same body ?,this is double standards which cannot go unchallenged ,” he said
Walukaga explained that though EC claimed that his certificate of Mature Age/Aptitude Test he secured from Islamic University in Uganda had expired by October 23 ,2025 –the day he got nominated ,the document was still valid by the time he used it to enrol at St. Lawrence University where he is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration .
“If EC claims that my certificate was expired, I couldn’t have been admitted at St.Lawrance University, all this is politics at play and I want to inform my supporters that I am still in the race . ” he added
Mr Rubongoya said that so far four of NUP parliamentary candidates have been disqualified on baseless grounds.
“We have already instructed our lawyers to challenge all this in courts of law and I am sure, with all the evidence available, our candidates will get justice,” he said
Walukagga, a first-time contender, had been selected by the National Unity Platform (NUP) as its official candidate over incumbent MP Medard Sseggona in party primaries.
Sseggona, who publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the process, opted to seek re-election as an independent candidate.
The development dramatically reconfigures the contest and is likely to trigger political fallout within NUP, whose internal processes had already sparked friction in the constituency. It is not yet clear whether NUP will put its weight behind Emmanuel Magoola Matovu ,an independent but NUP-leaning candidate or Ssengoona. Also in the race are; Engineer Nakate Lilian (Ind) ,Nasolo Irene(Ind) ,
NRM’s Abdul Kiyimba,Kangave Fred, Banji Fatuma of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT),Kalungi Masmuus, among others — making Busiro East one of the most crowded political arenas in the district.