Kampala, Uganda: The High Court Civil Division in Kampala has dealt the last blow to Fiona Nakku’s attempt to remain in the race for the National Female Youth MP seat, after it dismissed her application for an interim injunction against the NRM Electoral Commission and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).
In a ruling delivered Saturday, August 23, Justice Collins Acelam of the Civil Court division held that Nakku had no grounds for relief since her biodata had already been corrected by NIRA to reflect her true date of birth as December 20, 1994, a fact that disqualified her under the National Youth Council Act, which sets the youth age limit between 18 and 30.
“The status quo sought to be maintained by the Applicant has already been altered,” Justice Acelam ruled. “Granting this injunction would in effect render the main application nugatory.”
Nakku, who was regarded the leading contender for the NRM flag, saw tables turning earlier this week when the NRM Electoral Commission, chaired by Dr. Tanga Odoi, wrote to her confirming her disqualification from the Youth MP race following a petition from youth delegates.
The letter, dated August 18, Tanga informed Nakku that her attempt to change her date of birth to July 20, 1997, was inconsistent with official records. “Your records with NIRA show that you were born on December 20, 1994, which places you outside the required youth age bracket,” the EC boss wrote, adding, “The Commission, therefore, finds you ineligible to contest as the National Female Youth MP flag bearer.”
No Escape Route Left
Whereas Nakku’s legal team had argued that her candidacy should be preserved until the judicial review of the NRM EC decision is concluded, the High Court found that since her biodata had already been reverted by NIRA, her prayer for an injunction was meaningless.
“The Applicant has not demonstrated irreparable harm,” Justice Acelam stated. “The prayer cannot be granted.”
A further review with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) also verified that Nakku sat her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in 2006 and her Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) in 2010 at the age of 16, which makes her 30 years + now, above the 30-year cap of the Youth MP position.
Saturday’s High Court ruling now seals Nakku’s fate, extinguishing her last chance to salvage her bid for the National Female Youth MP position.
It remains to be seen if Nakku will seek further court redress to challenge the ruling, but by press time, the utter silence in her camp signalled her eventual give up on the position she was widely seen to take against all odds.
Neither Nakku nor her alleged sister, Ms Barbra Nekesa, the NRM national treasurer, was available for comment, as repeated phone calls and WhatsApp messages went unanswered by press time.
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