The Electoral Commission has disqualified Busiro East parliamentary National Unity Platform’s (NUP) candidate Walukaga Mathias after determining that the academic document he submitted for nomination had expired months before he sought to join the 2026 race.
In a communication dated 25 November 2025, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama confirmed that Walukaga did not meet the legally required minimum academic qualification for a Member of Parliament.
The decision followed a petition filed on 4 November 2025, alleging that Walukaga lacked the required academic documents and had used an invalid Certificate of Mature Age/Aptitude Test.
According to Justice Byabakama, the complaint raised serious concerns.
“The Petitioner contended that Candidate Walukaga Mathias did not possess the requisite minimum academic formal qualifications for nomination as a candidate for the elective office of Member of Parliament,” Byabakama said.
Walukaga, through his lawyers, argued that the certificate was still valid because it enabled him to join university and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.
However, after reviewing submissions from both sides and examining the law, the Commission established that Walukaga presented a Mature Age/Aptitude Test Certificate issued by the Islamic University in Uganda on 12 June 2023, which expired on 12 June 2025. He used it for nomination on 23 October 2025—four months after its expiry.
“The Certificate of Mature Age/Aptitude Test Walukaga Mathias presented for nomination had, by 23 October 2025, clearly expired,” Byabakama said.
The Commission also referred to Legal Notice No. 12 of 2015, which states that a Mature Age Certificate is valid for only two years from its date of issuance, and cannot be revived once expired.
A letter from the Islamic University in Uganda presented during the hearing confirmed that Walukaga sat the Mature Age Test in February 2023 and scored 54 percent. Although the university suggested the certificate could remain valid if used to enroll for studies, the Commission maintained that the law does not allow exceptions.
“A Certificate of NCHE is not a qualification by itself and it cannot give life to an invalid or expired qualification,” Byabakama said.
Based on Section 4 (1)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act and guided by Supreme Court precedent, the Commission ruled that Walukaga does not qualify to run for Parliament.
“Candidate Walukaga Mathias therefore stands denominated,” Byabakama said.
The Electoral Commission has forwarded the decision to Walukaga, his lawyers, and the Wakiso Returning Officer.
