The Masaka High Court has ordered the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to explain the academic qualifications of Ssembabule District Woman Member of Parliament Florence Nambaziira within two days after she reportedly told court that she never sat her Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) or Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE). The development has intensified scrutiny of the academic credentials she relied on to qualify for the January 2026 parliamentary elections.
The directive was issued by Justice Christine Akello on Saturday, October 24, 2026, during the hearing of an election petition filed by former Ssembabule District Woman MP Mary Begumisa. Begumisa is challenging Nambaziira’s election victory, questioning whether the qualifications presented by the incumbent met the legal requirements for parliamentary candidates. The court has now tasked NCHE with clarifying the status of the academic documents at the centre of the dispute.
While appearing before the court, Nambaziira, who contested on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, reportedly testified that she did not complete Primary Seven or Senior Four. Instead, she told the court that she obtained a vocational certificate in hairdressing from Mengo Youth Vocational Center through the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT). The training reportedly covered hair plaiting, hair washing and styling.
Her testimony prompted questions from Begumisa’s lawyer, Isaac Ebiro Ekirapa, who sought an explanation of how Nambaziira obtained an academic equivalence certificate from NCHE despite not having sat the PLE and UCE examinations. The lawyer argued that the council needed to appear before court and account for the documents used to establish the legislator’s academic eligibility.
The dispute centres on whether Nambaziira’s vocational qualification and the equivalence documentation issued in connection with it satisfy the minimum educational requirements for election to Parliament. Under Uganda’s electoral framework, parliamentary candidates must possess qualifications equivalent to the prescribed Advanced Level standard. Candidates relying on alternative academic or vocational credentials must demonstrate that their qualifications meet the applicable requirements.
Begumisa had earlier obtained records from the Directorate of Industrial Training confirming the existence of Nambaziira’s hairdressing certificate. However, the central question before the court is whether that qualification, alongside the relevant equivalence documents, was sufficient to establish her eligibility to contest the parliamentary seat. NCHE’s explanation is expected to help the court assess the documents and determine whether the applicable academic requirements were fulfilled.
Nambaziira won the Ssembabule District Woman MP seat in the January 2026 elections with 61,638 votes. Begumisa came second with 24,495 votes, while musician Nina Kankunda, popularly known as Nina Roz, received 15,345 votes. Esther Kyinkuhaire garnered 8,281 votes. Despite the margin of victory, Begumisa has pursued a legal challenge seeking to overturn the outcome, arguing that questions surrounding the election extend beyond the final vote tally.
The petition also contains allegations of electoral malpractice, including voter bribery, ballot stuffing, multiple voting and obstruction of polling agents in parts of Ssembabule District, particularly Mawogola and Mawogola West. These claims, like the dispute over Nambaziira’s academic qualifications, remain subject to judicial determination. With NCHE required to respond within two days, the court is expected to examine the council’s explanation as the proceedings continue. The final outcome will determine the fate of Begumisa’s challenge and whether Nambaziira’s election victory withstands the legal scrutiny.
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