Byabakama declines to nominate 24-year-old presidential aspirant Katumba over Shs20m fee

Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama has refused to nominate John Katumba as a 2021 presidential candidate over the Shs20m fee.

Katumba, a fresh Makerere University graduate, turned up at the Kyambogo University sports ground for nomination but had no proof of payment of the Shs20m fee.

According to the 24-year-old, attempts to have the nomination fee paid were futile after banks rejected his money over lack of Tax Identification Number (TIN).

The banks, Katumba claimed, had advised that for them to accept the payment of nomination fees he required a TIN number which would be processed using his company or employee details.

But the aspirant says he had no job nor company since he graduated at the start of the year.

“I haven’t yet paid the Shs20m in the bank yet because when I tried, I was asked for an employment letter which I don’t have since I am not employed but I have the money with me,” Katumba said.

The EC ordered Katumba to go and pay the money then return for nomination by close of business on November 03.

Because you have no proof of payment of the Shs20m fee, we cannot proceed to have you nominated,” Byabakama told Katumba.  

Earlier, the aspirant ran to the nomination venue after his car suffered a flat tyre around Spear Motors junction.

By publication time, three aspirants had been nominated. They are incumbent Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), and former security minister Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Kakurugu Tumukunde.