ACADEMIC PAPERS BATTLE! Rukaari Lawyers Want Bakashaba Interrogated Over Alleged UNEB, EC Fraud
Both MP Bakashaba and Former MP Rukaari appearing in Court
By Amos Tayebwa
MBARARA
Lawyers representing former Mbarara City North MP Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari have asked the High Court in Mbarara to interrogate incumbent MP Christopher Bakashaba over allegations surrounding his academic documents used during his nomination for the parliamentary seat.
The lawyers told Justice Tom Chemutai that Bakashaba should personally explain when, where and how he obtained the academic qualifications on which his eligibility to contest was based.
The dramatic submissions were made on Monday, September 21, 2026, during the hearing of Rukaari’s election petition challenging Bakashaba’s election and academic qualifications.
Rukaari, through his lawyers from Mungurile, Kandiho and Rukundo Advocates and Legal Consultants, is challenging the validity of Bakashaba’s UCE certificate or equivalent qualification, alleging that the documents used to obtain the equivalence were forged or fraudulently obtained.
Lawyer Abel Kandiho told court that his client wants Bakashaba to provide details about his secondary education and explain how he obtained the certificate relied upon for his nomination.
“My Lord, it is the submission of the petitioner that even if the petitioner, or any other person had inspected nomination documents, no one could have identified fraud,” Kandiho submitted.
He further alleged that the Electoral Commission itself may have been a victim of the alleged fraud, together with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
“EC should be among the petitioners because fraud was actually committed against EC. It was committed even on UNEB,” Kandiho told court, according to the submissions.
He asked court to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged academic documents and determine whether there was fraud in the process.
The petition challenges the academic qualifications relied upon by Bakashaba to contest the Mbarara City North parliamentary election. Recent reporting also indicates that Rukaari has sought oral cross-examination of officials from UNEB, the Law Development Centre, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and Mbarara High School, among others.
Kandiho further alleged that Bakashaba had previously used questionable documents to enter public service.
However, when counsel for the Electoral Commission, Erick Sabiiti, objected to part of the submission, another lawyer for Rukaari proceeded to allege that Bakashaba had submitted ‘illigel’ documents to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority when seeking employment in 2006.
The lawyer alleged that Bakashaba worked there until 2019 and questioned the circumstances under which he obtained the job.
The allegations remain contested and are subject to determination by court.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Bakashaba dismissed the petition, accusing Rukaari of using the court case to keep himself in the public spotlight.
Bakashaba said he was ready to appear before court and produce his academic documents to demonstrate that they were genuine.
“I have accepted to come here physically and present my papers to prove that there is no forgery or fraud in my academic documents. Instead, I studied and that makes me qualify to be a Member of Parliament,” Bakashaba said.
He insisted that the case had no substance and urged his supporters to remain calm.
“There is no case here. It is just Rukaari who wants to remain in the news and be talked about, but there is nothing. I appeal to my people to relax, everything is handled,” he said.
The hearing was adjourned to September 29, 2026, when several witnesses are expected to appear.
Among those lined up are petitioner Robert Rukaari, Kato Isaac, Robert Twiine, Christopher Bakashaba—not the MP—Julius Nuwagira and others.
Rukaari informed court that he would be unable to attend physically because he would be in London on personal business. Court allowed him to participate in the proceedings via Zoom.
The dispute forms part of a wider series of 2026 parliamentary election petitions in which academic qualifications of elected MPs have come under scrutiny.
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