By Nanteza Ruth Walusimbi
NATIONAL
The High Court in Kampala has upheld the Electoral Commission’s decision to disqualify Busiro East MP aspirant, Mathias Walukaga over lack of minimum academic qualifications.
In a judgment delivered on, 21st December 2025, Justice Simon Peter Kinobe ruled that Walukaga’s Mature Age/Aptitude Test certificate had expired before his nomination on 23 October 2025 and could not support his candidature.
Walukaga’s nomination was cancelled after a petition by a registered voter, prompting him to appeal the decision. He argued that the Electoral Commission lacked the authority to assess his academic documents and that his certificate, equated to A-Level by NCHE, remained valid after he enrolled for further studies.
However, the court agreed with the Electoral Commission that the law limits the validity of a Mature Age certificate to two years.
Justice Kinobe held that the Commission has the mandate to determine candidate qualifications and that a university letter could not override the law.
