Mawogola North Candidate Petitions EC Over Sodo’s Academic Papers

The Mawogola North County independent parliamentary candidate, John Jet Tumwebaze, has petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC), questioning the academic qualifications of his National Resistance Movement (NRM) opponent, Godfrey Aine Kaguta, also known as Sodo.

In the petition, Tumwebaze requests that the EC provide him with certified academic documents on which Sodo’s nomination last week was based. 

Sodo, a younger brother of President Yoweri Museveni, is among five candidates contesting for the Mawogola North seat in Sembabule District. Tumwebaze said he wants to ensure that Sodo meets the legal requirements to serve as a member of parliament. 

“In accordance with Article 41 of the Constitution and Sections 4, 5, and 10 of the Access to Information Act, I request certified copies of all academic documents submitted by Mr Aine to the Electoral Commission,” the petition reads in part. Tumwebaze further urged that the documents be made available expeditiously, so he can consider the next legal steps.

Apart from questioning Sodo’s qualifications, Tumwebaze also disputes the manner in which the NRM party flag for Mawogola North was awarded. Sodo was declared unopposed after President Museveni reportedly persuaded incumbent MP Shartsi Musherure to step down, avoiding potential conflict between supporters. 

Tumwebaze argues that the party ticket was awarded irregularly, as no primaries were conducted, effectively locking out other aspirants.

Despite the controversy, Sodo remains confident, pledging to meet the expectations of his constituents. He emphasised that he had been duly nominated by the Electoral Commission after a thorough review of all his papers, including academic documents.

Sodo also noted that he had previously won the NRM party primaries in 2021, even when asked to withdraw in favour of Musherure, demonstrating his popularity and questioning why Tumwebaze is now challenging his candidature.