Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of bias after it declined to release President Yoweri Museveni’s academic papers.
On September 03, acting EC Secretary Leonard Mulekwah explained to lawyer Muwada Nkunyingi of Muwada and Company Advocates why the Commission could not release Museveni’s documents.
Mulekwah told Nkunyingi that Section 4 (15) of the Presidential Elections Act, 2005, was clear on the verification of papers such as the ones in the category under which Museveni’s fall.
“For avoidance of doubt, if a candidate has an advanced level certificate obtained in Uganda or qualifications higher than the prescribed qualification obtained in Uganda or obtained from the former University of East Africa or any of its constituent colleges, then, there shall be no need for the verification of his or her qualifications by the National Council for Higher Education,” wrote Mulekwah.
He added that the Supreme Court had ruled on the question of the legality of Museveni’s nomination for the 2016 presidential election that Amama Mbabazi had filed.
“We find that the second respondent nominated the first respondent as a Presidential candidate in accordance with provisions of the Presidential Elections Act,” ruled the judges of the Supreme Court.
“Accordingly, we find that there was no failure with provisions of the respondent to comply with the Presidential Elections Act.”
But Bobi Wine now says the EC has expressed how biased it is since it released his academic files and refused to give Nkunyingi Museveni’s.
“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 three days, the process to release my documents was already underway,” said Bobi Wine.
“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.”
He further accused the EC of giving in to fear, and choosing to offer lame excuses.
“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,” he continued.
“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.”
