Medard Lubega Ssegona
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Busiro East Member of Parliament Medard Lubega Ssegona has questioned the legality of instances where disqualified parliamentary contestants endorse others in exchange for money or other favours.
He highlighted the events surrounding the recent parliamentary elections, alleging that an endorsement arrangement involving musician Mathias Walukagga and MP-elect Emmanuel Magoola Matovu may have violated electoral laws.
Ssegona says the matter dates back to the National Unity Platform (NUP) primaries, where Walukagga was initially cleared to contest for the Busiro East seat before being disqualified for failing to meet the required academic qualifications. Magoola Matovu, who had also participated in the party’s vetting process, later ran as an independent candidate.
Following his disqualification, Walukagga publicly endorsed Magoola, a move that significantly strengthened the latter’s campaign and contributed to his eventual victory. The endorsement later sparked controversy after a video circulated online in which Walukagga speaks of a financial arrangement linked to his support for Magoola.
Reacting to the video, Ssegona argued that publicly discussing such an agreement could amount to an admission of wrongdoing. He further noted that reports of a written agreement, allegedly accompanied by a certificate of translation, raise serious questions given Walukagga’s earlier legal challenge over his academic qualifications.
The former legislator also questioned the wisdom of entering into agreements in a language not fully understood by both parties and expressed concern over Walukagga’s future political ambitions, pointing out that parliamentary proceedings are conducted in English.
Despite raising the concerns, Ssegona emphasized that he does not intend to pursue legal action, saying he does not wish to be perceived as the driving force behind any court proceedings should the matter eventually attract judicial attention.
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