A second petition has been lodged before the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking the disqualification of Kitagwenda County National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer Robert Mugabe, bringing to six the number of parliamentary aspirants now facing possible removal from the 2026 race over alleged academic irregularities.
In late October, a Kampala-based law firm, Ochieng Associated Advocates & Solicitors, petitioned the EC seeking access to the academic documents and nomination papers of Robert Mugabe.
In a fresh petition dated November 18, 2025, Mujurizi & Tumwesigye Advocates, representing voter Monday Gad, asked the Commission to nullify Mugabe’s nomination, arguing that he “was invalidly nominated” due to missing or improper academic qualifications.
According to the petition, their client is “a duly registered voter in Kitagwenda County with NIN CM820461012HXD” and has reason to believe that Mugabe’s academic papers do not meet the minimum standards required under the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap 177, and the Electoral Commission MP Nomination Guidelines 2025.
The law firm states that Mugabe’s academic documents “were lacking” at the time of his nomination on October 22, 2025.
They argue that under the law, a candidate must possess the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent, yet Mugabe’s qualifications had not been equated by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
Quoting the petition, the lawyer said the document from National Council for Higher Education dated July 11, 2025 simply recognised Mugabe’s degree, meaning the same was never and has never been equated.
“Without an equating certificate from NCHE, Mugabe Robert cannot be having a minimum qualification; hence his nomination becomes invalid and should be disqualified,” they said.
The petition also challenges the validity of Mugabe’s mature entry path, asserting that the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) could not legally transfer mature-entry students to other universities at the time Mugabe claims to have transferred to Bishop Stuart University.
“This simply means that Mugabe Robert’s transfer was irregular,” the lawyers wrote, adding that his mature entry certificate “suffers the same fate” as it too was merely recognized and not equated.
The petition further alleges that Mugabe submitted “uncertified degree documents,” and that his statutory declaration—or Oaths Paper—“is not signed and has no stamp.”
The law firm also reminded the EC of Mugabe’s previous troubles: “Mugabe Robert was one time disqualified by Electoral Commission for forgery, so he must have not learnt from his past."
They concluded with a firm request: “Mugabe Robert’s nomination as a candidate for Member of Parliament for Kitagwenda County was invalid… the same should be cancelled and Mugabe Robert be disqualified from the coming General Elections.”
Mugabe Responds
When contacted, Robert Mugabe dismissed the petition as politically motivated and unfounded. He said the claims were “baseless,” insisting that “there were no irregularities during my nomination and I am very sure that I am safe.”
Mugabe, who spoke to the Nile Post, maintains that his documents meet all legal requirements.
Mugabe now joins a growing list of parliamentary aspirants facing petitions before the EC.
The total number has risen to six, including former Kitagwenda County MP Agaba Abbas Mugisha, Spenser George William, Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Mubarak Nsamba, and Africano Arinaitwe.
