The Electoral Commission (EC) has nullified the nomination of Busiro East parliamentary candidate Mathias Walukagga, ruling that the academic certificate he presented had expired before he submitted his nomination papers on October 23, 2025.
The decision, issued by EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, follows a petition lodged on November 4, 2025, which challenged Walukagga’s eligibility to stand as a Member of Parliament.
The petitioners argued that Walukagga had presented a Mature Age/Aptitude Test Certificate issued by the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) on June 12, 2023.
The certificate, which carries a two-year validity, expired on June 12, 2025—four months before nomination day.
Mature age certificates are issued by recognised universities or examination bodies to allow adult learners—typically those who are over the standard age for university entry—to enroll in tertiary education programs without the usual secondary school qualifications.
Under Legal Notice No. 12 of 2015 (Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions – Benchmarks for Verifying, Determining and Recognising Academic Qualifications), a Mature Age Certificate is valid for only two years from the date of issuance.
After this period, it is considered expired and cannot, on its own, be used to gain admission, employment, or meet formal requirements like election nominations.
The expiry ensures that the certificate reflects current academic readiness, since the holder’s skills or knowledge may need refreshing if not immediately applied.
If a certificate is used to gain admission into a degree program immediately, some institutions may treat it as “utilised,” but for other purposes—like nominations or jobs—the certificate itself must still be valid.
According to the petition, this expiry rendered the certificate invalid for nomination under the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177, which requires all aspirants to meet minimum academic qualifications.
Walukaga’s legal team contested this, stating that the certificate remained valid because he had used it to gain admission to a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, which he is currently pursuing.
They submitted a supporting letter from IUIU dated November 11, 2025, confirming that Walukagga had taken the Mature Age Test on February 25, 2023, and passed with 54 percent.
His lawyers argued that since the certificate had enabled his university enrollment, it should still qualify him for nomination.
The EC conducted hearings on November 7, 10, 14, and 15, 2025, to examine the validity of the certificate and supporting documents.
The Commission established that the Mature Age/Aptitude Certificate explicitly indicated June 12, 2023, as the date of issue and June 12, 2025, as the expiry date.
The EC also reviewed an equivalence certificate from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) dated June 11, 2025, noting that it could not extend or revive an already expired certificate.
A letter from IUIU confirmed that a Mature Age Certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue and becomes unusable for academic or administrative purposes once the period lapses, unless used immediately for further enrollment.
The Commission cited Legal Notice No. 12 of 2015, Paragraph 9(b) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions (Benchmarks for Verifying, Determining and Recognizing Academic Qualifications), which confirms that Mature Age Certificates expire after two years.
It also referenced the Supreme Court ruling in Gole Nicholas Davis vs Loi Kiryapawo (Election Petition Appeal No. 19 of 2007), which clarified that an NCHE equivalence certificate does not itself constitute an academic qualification and cannot validate an expired certificate.
Based on these findings, Justice Byabakama ruled that Walukagga did not meet the minimum academic requirement under Section 4(1)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act.
“Candidate Walukagga Mathias therefore stands de-nominated,” the EC chairperson declared.
The ruling effectively removes Walukagga from the Busiro East parliamentary race unless he seeks judicial review in the High Court.
The decision underscores the EC’s heightened scrutiny of candidate qualifications ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The case highlights the importance of verifying academic qualifications for political aspirants and sets a precedent for the strict application of the law.
While Walukagga had initially been cleared to contest, the petition process allowed for detailed legal scrutiny, revealing that the certificate he relied on had expired months before he submitted his nomination.
Legal experts note that such rulings reinforce the principle that no candidate is above statutory requirements, and demonstrate the role of petitions in ensuring compliance with electoral laws.
For voters and aspirants, the case serves as a reminder that all documents used to support nominations must be current and legally recognized.
As of press time, Walukagga had not issued a public statement responding to the EC ruling.
The decision is a bruising on NUP's nose seeing as they had scrutinised the same documents and okayed them against their seasoned incumbent Sseggona.
And now, with eggs on the face, the NUP faces the embarrassing decision of either eating own vomit and making amends with Sseggona or giving up Busiro East to whoever wins it among those still in the race.
More than ten candidates remain in the Busiro East race, including the incumbent Medard Lubega Sseggona, Lillian Nakate, Emmanuel Magoola, Irene Nasolo, Kangave Fred, Masmus Kalungi, and Bangi Fatuma of the Alliance for National Transformation.