Uganda’s Electoral Commission has removed singer-turned-politician Mathias Walukaga from the 2026 parliamentary contest for Busiro East in Wakiso District, citing failure to meet the academic requirements.
In a ruling issued on 25 November 2025, the Commission stated that Walukaga — who currently serves as mayor of Kyengera Town Council — did not possess the minimum formal qualifications prescribed under the Parliamentary Elections Act.
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The decision stemmed from a petition filed by M/S Signature Advocates questioning the authenticity and validity of the mature-age entry certificate Walukaga submitted when he was nominated on 23 October 2025.
According to the Commission, the certificate, issued by the Islamic University in Uganda in June 2023, had already expired by the time he presented it for nomination. The qualification carries a two-year validity period and is expected to be used to enrol in further studies within that time.
The EC said the document could not be rescued by a certificate of equivalence from the National Council for Higher Education, pointing to a Supreme Court ruling in the Gole Nicholas Davis v Loi Kiryapawo case, which held that an expired academic credential cannot be retroactively validated.
Walukaga’s lawyers argued that he met the requirements because he had been admitted to St Lawrence University and was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. The Commission dismissed that defence, insisting he did not qualify at the time of nomination.
The dispute has heightened political tensions in Busiro East. The incumbent MP, Medard Lubega Ssegona, was denied the National Unity Platform ticket in favour of Walukaga and has since entered the race as an independent candidate.
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