Mawogola North MP Race: Jet Tumwebaze Vows to Sue Sodo Kaguta over Academic Qualifications

Lawyer Jet Tumwebaze has announced plans to challenge the election of Sodo Aine Kaguta, the Member of Parliament-elect for Mawogola North, citing alleged lack of academic qualifications and election irregularities.

Tumwebaze, who lost the parliamentary race to Kaguta—President Yoweri Museveni’s younger brother—said on Monday that he intends to file an election petition questioning Kaguta’s eligibility to serve as an MP.

He claims that Kaguta does not possess the academic qualifications required for nomination, arguing that the Electoral Commission failed to make public his academic documents despite repeated requests during the campaign period.

“The first ground of our petition will be the absence of academic documents for the MP-elect,” Tumwebaze said. “We asked the Electoral Commission to avail his academic qualifications, but they declined. We believe he does not meet the constitutional requirements to sit in Parliament.”

Tumwebaze further questioned Kaguta’s capacity to effectively participate in parliamentary business, arguing that competence and minimum academic standards are essential for legislators. He said allowing Kaguta to remain in Parliament would set a troubling precedent.

At a consultative meeting held on Monday, Tumwebaze said he convened more than 600 people, including at least 100 voters from each of the six sub-counties of Ssembabule District, to decide whether to challenge the election results. According to him, the meeting unanimously resolved to proceed with a court petition.

Beyond the academic qualifications dispute, Tumwebaze also alleged widespread electoral malpractice, including voter intimidation and violence.

“We did not have a free and fair election in Ssembabule,” he claimed. “There was intimidation, violence, and ballot stuffing.”

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He accused elements of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of interfering in the electoral process, alleging that some of his supporters were beaten, injured, or harassed. The UPDF has not yet responded to the allegations.

Tumwebaze said he has assembled a legal team to handle the petition and is confident the court will address what he termed as serious constitutional and electoral violations.

Neither Sodo Kaguta nor the Electoral Commission had issued a response to the claims by press time.