The High Court of Uganda has dismissed an election petition filed by Mathias Walukaga, ruling that the Kadongo Kamu singer did not possess valid academic qualifications at the time of his nomination for the Busiro East MP race.
Court Decision
In a detailed judgment delivered on December 21, 2025, High Court Judge Justice Simon Peter M. Kinobe found that Walukaga relied on an expired academic certificate, which could not legally support his nomination.
The court ruled that:
An expired certificate cannot support a valid nomination
Walukaga did not meet the minimum academic requirements at the time of nomination
The Electoral Commission acted within the law by disqualifying him
The decision to block his candidature was procedurally and legally sound
Costs and Public Interest
While dismissing the petition, Justice Kinobe declined to award legal costs to the respondents. The judge noted that the case raised an important public interest question that had not previously been fully tested in Uganda’s legal system.
As a result, the court ordered that each party bears its own costs.
Final Blow to Walukaga’s MP Bid
The ruling effectively shuts the door on Walukaga’s legal challenge, leaving the Electoral Commission’s decision intact and ending his bid to contest for Busiro East in the upcoming elections.
The judgment is expected to set a precedent on academic qualification requirements for political aspirants going forward.