Court of Appeal judges led by outgoing Deputy Chief Justice Stephen Kavuma have maintained Peter Sematimba as the duly elected Busiro South Member of Parliament.
In the ruling read Monday by Deputy Registrar Deo Nzeyimana, judges of the appellant court dismissed the ruling of the High Court judge Lydia Mugambe who nullified the election of Peter Sematimba on grounds that he lacked the minimum education requirements needed for one to contest as an MP.
Stephen Sekigozi, one of the contestants in the 2016 Busiro South parliamentary elections had challenged Peter Ssematimba’s victory in the Hight Court.
In July last year, Justice Lydia Mugambe faulted the National Council of Higher Education for failing to take due diligence to verify Sematimba’s diploma award from the Pacific Coast Institute in the USA before issuing him a certificate of A’Level equivalence that enabled him to participate in the election which he eventually won.
Mugambe based on this to nullify Sematimba’s victory and thus ordered for fresh Elections which Sematimba challenged in the court of Appeal.
This decision however, was overturned today by the appellant court which also happens to be final as far as election petitions are concerned.
Speaking to reporters outside court after the disappointing ruling, the petitioner Sekigozi said he would nonetheless accept the decision of the court as final.
He noted however, that the ruling was a set back to many Ugandans who work hard to take their children to school, if courts can side with people that clearly didn’t go to school.
“Parents should perhaps stop taking their children to school,realizing now that someone can go to Nasser Road and print fake credentials, and rest assured that the courts will uphold them.” he said.
“There was proof from UNEB that Mr Sematimba did not have the right qualifications for an MP, but the judges still decided to go with his weak defense.”
The court ruling was made in the absence of the victor, Peter Sematimba, who was represented by his lawyers.
