The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Bosmic Joyce Otim, an Aspirant for the Chua West Parliamentary Seat in Kitgum District faces an uncertain political future, as he heads for the National Resistance Movement party primaries.
This after, the Uganda National Examinations Board-[UNEB] Executive Secretary Dan Odongo clarified that the artist turned politician didn’t qualify for the award of a Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education certificate. The clarification was prompted by a petition from Charles Ocaya, a contender for the NRM flag in Chua West Constituency demanding for the verified copy of Otim’s 2003 UACE result.
The request was made on August 27 after Otim’s nomination by the NRM Party electoral commission to contest for the Chua West County Parliamentary seat. But Ocaya said that the nomination was illegal because the aspirant lacked requisite academic minimum qualifications for a parliamentary nominee.
However, the NRM Electoral Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi quashed Ocay’s petition and upheld the nomination on grounds that the commission sat between August 21 and August 24 and resolved that Bosmic held requisite academic qualifications to be nominated as MP.
But according to verified results released by UNEB, Otim obtained a subsidiary pass in General Paper, F in History and Christian Religious Education and never sat for the Economics paper.
“We acknowledge receipt of your request ref FA/GEN/06/20 dated august 27, regarding verification of Results of Bosmic Otim UO226/514 (2003). We wish to respond as follows: the result shows that the candidate obtained result 9. The candidate, therefore, didn’t qualify for the award of a UACE certificate.” Odongo’s letter reads in part.
Under Uganda’s constitution, a parliamentary nominee is required to have a certificate, granted upon obtaining principal and/or subsidiary pass at A’ level. Basing on Otim’s verified UACE results, Ocaya’s lawyers’ M/S F. Aogon & CO. Advocates yesterday made a fresh appeal against his nomination to NRM electoral commission.
The lawyers are now demanding the NRM electoral commission to declare their client unopposed, failure of which will leave them with no choice but to lodge a suit in court.
“The purpose of this letter is to appeal against your decision and demand that the nomination of Mr Bosmic Otim as NRM MP for Chua West Constituency be cancelled and our client be declared the unopposed NRM candidate for Chua West Constituency-Kitgum district failure of which within one day will leave us no choice but to lodge a suit in court.” The letter of appeal reads in parts.
Efforts to get comments from Otim on the matter were futile as he didn’t pick repeated phone calls on his known phone number.
Cyrus Odongkene, NRM Party Registrar in Kitgum district acknowledged receiving a copy of appeal demanding for nullification of Otim’s nomination. Odongkene, however, says they are waiting for an overall decision from the party electoral commission on whether it will uphold Otim’s nomination or nullify it.
“We are on standby for any action from the party on whether Otim will stay in the race or will be nullified. In any case, they nullify his nomination, we will declare Ocaya as the unopposed flag bearer for Chua West,” Odongkara told URN in an interview.
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