The Electoral Commission has declined to release President Museveni’s academic documents that were requested for by lawyer Muwada Nkunyingi who subscribes to Robert Kyagulanyi’s National Unity Platform (NUP).
In a statement dated September 3 2020 from Leonard Mulekwah, the body’s Acting Secretary, EC started off with addressing doubts to whether President Museveni’s documents were verified back in 2016.
“Kindly note and be informed that the academic documents for candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as presented in 2016 didn’t require verification since they are governed under section 4 (15) of the Presidential Act, 2005.” Reads part of the statement.
The controversy started after City lawyer Male Mabirizi asked for Bobi Wine’s academic documents that the election body released within three days before he went to court to contest Kyagulanyi’s age and authenticity of his academic documents.
EC also clarified that the Museveni was duly and legally nominated. “As to whether the nomination was proper and or legal or legitimate, please note that the particular issue was conclusively canvassed in PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PETITION No. 01 of 2018 (Amama Mbabazi Vs Museveni, EC and Ors) Supreme Court of Uganda at Page 7 thereof; The Justices inter alia made the following remarks:
“Based on our findings… we find that the 2nd respondent nominated the 1st respondent as a Presidential candidate in accordance with provisions of the PEA…. Accordingly, we find that there was no failure with provisions of the respondent to comply with… the PEA,” Mulekwah added.
Early this month, Nkunyingi said he would exhaust all legal means to force the Electoral Commission to avail him with academic documents that candidate Museveni used in the 2016 elections.
Below is Bobi Wine’s response;
Countrymen and women!
The emperor is naked. The partiality of an Electoral Commission which claims to be independent yet again lies bare for all to see.
A few weeks back, someone working on the regime’s prompting applied to have my academic documents released. In only 3 days, the process to release my documents was already underway.
The same Electoral Commission has taken a month to respond to a request for Gen. Museveni’s academic documents. When they finally responded, they are speaking in tongues. The law does not empower any government body to determine the legality of the reasons given for demand of public documents. The Electoral Commission in a very clear indication of bias has taken it upon themselves not to release Gen. Museveni’s papers giving flimsy reasons. Even a child can see that they are embarrassed or scared of releasing the documents.
Doesn’t this lend credence to the assertions that perhaps what we have been dealing with for the last 35 years is a complete sham? If it is not, what are they hiding?
As the lawyers contemplate the next course of action, let me remind Mr. Byabakama and all others at the Electoral Commission that they are on trial. Each day, they continue to fail the test and to expose themselves. Ugandans are watching.
