The court of Appeal has this morning upheld the election of Amos Mandela as the Member of Parliament for Buyamba County, Rakai District.
The initial decision was based on an appeal filed by Mandela’s political rival, Ivan Bwowe, accusing Mandela of election fraud and forgery.
Bwowe questioned the O’level certificate obtained from Nakyenyi Secondary School in 1988 and told the High Court that the document, which was eventually used by the legislator for admission to other institutions, is in the names of Amos Nandela and not Amos Mandela.
Bwowe added that certificates in the names of Amos Nandela were used to obtain a Diploma in Development Studies from Nsamizi Institute of Social Development and a Degree in Adult Education from Makerere University.
The Uganda National Examinations Board – UNEB also told the court that the candidate on record is Amos Nandela and not Mandela.
Although Mandela told Masaka High Court that the mistake on his name was just a typing error made by UNEB on his O-Level certificate, the judge ruled that 28 years after he sat for the exam should have given him enough time to rectify the mistake.
But Mandela appealed against the decision.
The three judges also ruled that no proof has been provided showing existence of another person in the name of Nandela Amos who owns the certificate that Amos Mandela had presented.
The court has ordered Bwowe Ivan to pay the costs of the petition.