Busiro North MP elect defends himself over allegations of identity theft

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Busiro North MP elect Paul Nsubuga has defended himself on allegations of identity theft.

Edgar Lubadde, a candidate who came last in the Busiro County North parliamentary race asked the court to declare him the winner of the January 14 elections. Lubadde who scored only 199 votes challenged the election of Nsubuga who scored 21,401 votes on the ground that he lacked the requisite academic qualifications to contest as a Member of Parliament as required by law, at the time of his nomination.

The law requires that all persons contesting for a parliamentary seat should be in possession of an A level certificate or its equivalent. However, Lubadde says that in the absence of the qualification, Nsubuga presented to the Electoral Commission academic documents that did not belong to him, but another person.

He recalls that although he contested as Nsubuga, his real name is Peter Mukalazi, and his traceable academic journey ended at Primary Leaving Examinations-PLE. He adds that thereafter, Mukalazi fraudulently usurped a UPDF scholarship solely meant for the sons and daughters of army personnel. And to achieve this, he had to change his name from Mukalazi Peter to Paul Nsubuga, and the name of his father who was never a UPDF soldier.

However, in his defence documents seen by URN, Nsubuga admits that he was born and baptized as Mukalazi Peter and at birth, he was described as the son of the late Mathias Kibuuka and Agnes Nabawanuka.

That he also attended primary school education using the name Peter Mukalazi, and even sat for PLE in the year 2002 at Bukerere St Charles Lwanga using the same name.

However, Nsubuga states that after he had sat for PLE during the vacation, he was informed by his mother that his true father was the late Charles Mbabali, who was a soldier in UPDF and when he was introduced to the family of the late Mbabali, he was named Nsubuga Paul.

“Since the first respondent/Nsubuga had been given a new name, he could not continue using the name Mukalazi Peter and had to re-sit for Primary Leaving Examinations using the name Paul Nsubuga,” reads the affidavit in part.

Nsubuga’s affidavit is supported by that of his mother Agnes Nabawanuka who says that she was in a relationship with Mbabali, a cousin brother to Kibuuka, and when she got married to Kibuuka, she realized that she had Mbabali’s pregnancy. But the person responsible for the pregnancy remained a secret between her and Mbabali to avoid conflict in her marriage.

According to Nabawanuka, when Kibuuka died, she told Nsubuga who his real father is.

It adds that, “Consequently, the first respondent/Nsubuga re-sat for Primary Leaving Examinations in the year 2003 at Ssentema Catholic Primary School using the name Nsubuga Paul vide index number 64281/035”.

The evidence before the court shows that Nsubuga was then admitted at Nakasongora Army Secondary School -NASS, in the capacity as a child of a fallen UPDF soldier from where he sat for UCE, in the year 2007 on index number U0771/149.

“Based on UCE results, the first respondent/Nsubuga was admitted at Mbarara Army Boarding Secondary School where he sat for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education-UACE examinations, vide index number U1941/521 in the name of Nsubuga Paul.

Nsubuga contends that Mukalazi Peter sat for PLE in 2002 at Bukerere St Charles Lwanga on index number 28 and obtained 12 aggregates, and Nsubuga Paul sat for PLE in the year 2003 at Ssentema Catholic Primary School on index number 65281/035, and obtained 13 aggregates which is him.

“The name Nsubuga Paul appears on the first respondent’s/Nsubuga verification of Primary Leaving Examination results statements, his Uganda Certificate of Education-UCE from Nakasongora Army Secondary School, his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education and his National Identification Card from National Identification Registration Authority NIRA,” it adds.

Through his lawyers of Lukwago and Company Advocates, Nsubuga who was recently arraigned in court and charged with stealing a mobile phone denies the allegations of falsification of documents and wants the petition dismissed with costs.

The Electoral Commission which is listed as the second respondent in the matter and being accused of nominating and declaring Nsubuga the eventual winner erroneously is yet to file its defence, before the matter is fixed for hearing.

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URN