Several Members of Parliament (MPs) have said that the 600,000 Uganda Shillings required to verify academic documents by the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) is too high.
Luttamaguzi Ssemakula of Nakaseke South, Paul Mwiru of Jinja East and Lyandro Komakech of Gulu Municipality joined hands to oppose the fee imposed by UNEB.
The legislators want parliament to intervene and compel UNEB to lower the fee so more political candidates can aspire for public office.
The Presidential Elections Act 2005, the Parliamentary Elections Act of 2005 and the Local Government Elections (amendment) Act 2005 requires all prospective aspirants for positions of the President, Members of Parliament and district Chairpersons to have completed a minimum formal education of advanced level standard by UNEB or its equivalent.
Ahead of the 2021 general elections, UNEB has issued a circular to all the political aspirants to verify their academic documents. Presidential aspirants and Members of Parliament have a deadline of 15thMay and the district chairpersons a deadline of 15th of April, 2020 to verify their academic documents.
The aspirants must submit copies of their certificates to be verified, an introductory letter from the respective schools, a copy of the National ID in addition to paying 600,000 shillings as verification fee.
The MPs say that UNEB may end up attracting suits against the body for its stand.
However, former teacher and Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu is in support of the fee imposed by UNEB on all political aspirants who wish to verify their academic documents.
UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule also defended the fee explaining that, “It is a standard rate for special verification. It is 300,000 shillings per level whether it is required by a politician or not.”
Edited by David Tumusiime
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