MPs Kalemba, Ssembatya win election appeals

PIC: MP Edward-Ssembatya has retained his seat in Parliament as the legislator for Katikamu South constituency. (file folder)

KAMPALA - The supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) were on Friday filled with joy after the Court of Appeal declared Edward Ssembatya and Christopher Kalemba the validly elected MPs for Katikamu South constituency and Kakuuto County respectively.

The NRM party legislators had been thrown out Parliament by the High Court in Kampala and Masaka respectively for lack of academic requisite for the seats.

In their unanimous judgement, deputy Chief justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo, retired deputy Chief justice Steven Kavuma and Richard Buteera ruled that High Court judges failed to properly evaluate the evidence on record and hence reached at a wrong decision.

Ssembatya was kicked out Parliament by Justice Isabirye Kaweesa, who found that there were discrepancies in his names that appeared on several of his academic papers that he presented for nomination of his election.

"I wonder why you sat for O'level exams under the name of Edward N. Ssembatya in 1972 at St Henry's Kitovu College, but was admitted at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) under the name Ssembatya Edward Ndawula in 2006.  Your papers appear to be a forgery," Kaweesa ruled.

This followed an election petition filed by his rival Alfred Muwanga, challenging his academic credentials.

On the other hand, Kalemba was kicked out of Parliament by Justice Margret Tibulya, who found that he had failed ‘O' level.

 Kalemba reportedly got one credit at ‘O' level, but presented a degree of social works and administration from Kampala University for his nomination by the Electoral Commission.

Kalemba had been thrown out of Parliament following a petition filed by his opponent and city businessman Drake Lubega, who had lost the elections.

However, the Justices faulted trial judges for assuming the powers of the National Council for Higher Education to investigate there duo's academic credentials.