Drama as Isingiro MP aspirant chains self at UNEB offices

There was chaos on Monday morning at the headquarters of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) in Ntinda after James Atwiine Nkizimagara, a former parliamentary aspirant for Isingiro North, chained himself to the institution’s gate. 

Mr. Nkizimagara was protesting what he claims is the illegal and politically motivated invalidation of his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) academic documents. 

This follows his recent disqualification by the Electoral Commission (EC) from the 2026 parliamentary race.

Mr. Nkizimagara was due to run as an independent candidate against the incumbent, State Minister for Animal Husbandry Bright Rwamirama, having lost the earlier NRM primaries. 

His bid, however, was derailed when the EC rejected his nomination papers based on allegations that his academic credentials were forged. 

The disgruntled aspirant insists the fault lies with UNEB, claiming the institution has deliberately withheld or invalidated his papers. 

According to Mr. Nkizimagara, the matter was initiated by an allegation from Minister Rwamirama's driver, who claimed the aspirant had never attended school. 

He argues that UNEB subsequently recalled his documents without ever contacting him, requesting his presentation of the papers, or affording him a fair hearing.

Mr. Nkizimagara and his legal team have been trying to meet with UNEB for weeks, even attending a previously scheduled hearing where no ruling was issued. 

He revealed that he had obtained a court order directing UNEB to resolve the matter, but the body failed to act. 

When a hearing was eventually convened before the institution’s Security Committee following his protest, officials reportedly asked him to prove his identity against the records in the UNEB system. 

"I have lost the parliamentary seat, and that’s okay, all I want is for UNEB to release my documents so I can start afresh," he angrily stated. 

He questioned how the Board could withdraw and doubt the authenticity of papers it originally issued and verified, based on a single, unverified third-party claim, subsequently leading to the termination of his political ambitions.

The aspirant argues that he presented both his National ID and passport to the Security Committee, asking what more UNEB required to confirm that he is indeed the James Atwiine whose academic records they hold. 

He maintains that the documents had been checked and accepted by UNEB in the past, only to be later recalled without due process or a chance for him to respond. 

In light of what he perceives as a violation of his right to access academic records, Mr. Atwiine has publicly called for intervention from human rights bodies. 

His team is imploring the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to step in and compel UNEB to release his documents and provide a clear, fair explanation for their actions.