Ugandans have been left surprised after Sembabule District Woman Member of Parliament Florence Nambaziira told the Masaka High Court that she never sat the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) or the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations. The revelation emerged during an election petition challenging her victory, with questions raised about whether her academic qualifications meet the legal requirements for serving in Parliament.
Nambaziira, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), made the admission while appearing before Justice Christine Akello. Her political rival, independent candidate Mary Begumisa, filed the petition challenging the election results and questioning the legislator’s academic eligibility, alongside allegations of irregularities during the electoral process.
During cross-examination, Nambaziira was asked about PLE but initially struggled to explain its meaning. She later told court that although she had attended school, she did not sit the Primary Seven examinations or proceed to sit the Senior Four examinations. Instead, she defended her background by pointing to vocational training and the professional skills she had acquired.
“I didn’t study Primary Seven and I didn’t do PLE, but I went to a vocational school. I am an expert in plaiting hair, washing hair, styling it and applying makeup,” Nambaziira told court. She explained that she had obtained three certificates covering the first, second and third grades of hairdressing training.
The legislator further told court that her vocational education included both theory and practical lessons, covering business management and customer care. She said she had established a company where she trains other people in hairdressing and the manufacture of hair relaxers, insisting that her professional experience had enabled her to build a career and help others acquire skills.
The court also heard testimony from Moses Mugizi, an official from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), who appeared remotely through Zoom to discuss Nambaziira’s academic documents. According to the report, Mugizi said the documents presented did not qualify her for university admission. The court is expected to examine the documents alongside the legal requirements governing parliamentary candidates.
Beyond the academic questions, the petition also involves allegations concerning the conduct of the election. Sembabule District Electoral Officer Gracious Aryaija was questioned about the signing of Declaration of Results forms by polling agents. Some residents who addressed the court also alleged intimidation, violence and irregularities, although these claims remain subject to judicial examination.
Nambaziira has expressed confidence that she will defeat the petition, while Begumisa and her lawyer, Ainebyona Nelson, are pushing for scrutiny of the legislator’s qualifications and the electoral process. The absence of PLE or UCE results alone does not automatically settle the question of eligibility; the court must consider the applicable law and all the evidence before it. The final ruling will determine whether the petitioner’s claims are established and whether Nambaziira’s election should stand.
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