NRM aspirants on spot over academic papers
CLOCKWISE: Moses Saleh Kamba, Rukia Nakadama, Muyanja Mbabali, Rukia Nakadama and Abdul Nadduli. A red flag has been raised against 55 aspirants, mostly those seeking to be either elected or re-elected as Members of Parliament on the National Resistance Movement party ticket in the 2016 general election.
PHOTO | NMG
What you need to know:
According to a list pinned at the NRM Electoral Commission offices on Kyadondo Road, the concerns raised include presentation of fake academic documents
Kampala, Wednesday. As the race for the NRM party primaries gains momentum, a red flag has been raised against 55 aspirants, mostly those seeking to be either elected or re-elected as Members of Parliament on the NRM party ticket in the 2016 general election.
According to a list pinned at the NRM Electoral Commission offices on Kyadondo Road, the concerns raised include presentation of fake academic documents, failure to retire from government jobs and late resignation, among others.
The NRM party electoral commission deputy chairperson, Mr John Arimpa Kigyagi, confirmed that the list was that of aspirants that members of the public raised concern about. He, however, said the NRM legal team would handle the matter.
“After the deadline of nominations (August 7), we shall allow the public to come and view the academic documents of any candidates so that if anyone has queries, they can be raised and handled,” Mr Kigyagi said, adding, “some proactive people have raised queries and we thought it was fair for the aspirants to know whether it is malicious or not.”
Asked why the NRM electrical commission had decided to pin the names of those affected before the party had done due diligence, Mr Kigyagi said it was in the interest of the aspirants.
“In the laws of natural justice, when someone raises a red flag against somebody, it is good to let them know (those affected). And we have informed them (aspirants whose names are pinned) that they have queries,” he noted.
He, however, added that the NRM legal team would look into the petitions and handle accordingly. “Our legal team has not completed doing due diligence, they will handle,” Mr Kigyagi said.
The State Minister for Gender and Cultural Affairs, Ms Rukia Nakadama, whose name appears on the list of those with queries on their academic papers, said her political opponents were trying to use blackmail to fail her bid.
“I have the qualifications that are needed, they were verified by Uneb. Those that have questions have failed to convince voters on the ground on why they are coming (to contest),” she said.
Others are Luweero LC5 chairman Abdul Nadduli, Lwengo NRM chairperson Muyanja Mbabali, and Kibuku MP Saleh Kamba. Mr Kamba and Mbabali had their academic credentials questioned. (NMG)
