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The race for Member of Parliament in Bulambuli County under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has taken a dramatic turn following serious allegations against one of the candidates, Burundo Alex. A formal petition has been submitted to the NRM Electoral Commission claiming that Burundo Alex is not who he claims to be—at least, not academically.
According to the petition, Burundo Alex previously served as the Chairperson of Local Council III in Bukhalu Sub-county, Bulambuli District, from 2001 to 2016. Throughout those years, he contested and was elected under the name Burundo Alex. His name also appears in official government payment records, voters’ registers, and salary slips under that identity.
However, things changed in 2015 when Burundo allegedly swore a deed poll to change his name to Burundo Musingo Mungoma Alex. This, the petition claims, was a calculated move to adopt the identity of Musingo Alex, a different individual who possessed the academic qualifications necessary to run for Parliament. It is alleged that Burundo used Musingo Alex’s UCE and UACE academic documents during his nomination in 2016 and has done the same again for the upcoming election.
Suspicion deepened when, in 2019, Burundo reportedly gazetted another name change — this time from Burundo Mungoma Alex to Burundo Mungoma Musingo Alex. According to the petition, these successive name changes were attempts to legitimize forged documents and mislead the Electoral Commission.
Further scrutiny reveals inconsistencies in Burundo’s educational history. He claims to have attended Buwakhanywinyi Primary School from 1982 to 1988, but the petition asserts that the school had no UNEB examination center number at the time — meaning no official PLE exams were administered there. This calls into question the validity of his primary education claims.
Additionally, there are allegations that he was never admitted to Mbale Secondary School for “O” Level or Aggrey Memorial School for “A” Level — the institutions whose certificates he presented, all bearing the name Musingo Alex.
The petition suggests that Burundo’s academic identity is fabricated, and that he obtained a parliamentary nomination through forgery, impersonation, and utterance of false documents. These actions, if verified, constitute serious electoral and criminal offences.
The petitioners argue that such fraudulent conduct not only undermines the integrity of the electoral process but also puts the NRM party at great risk. They are urging the NRM Electoral Commission to investigate the matter urgently and nullify his nomination. If this is not addressed swiftly, the party may face legal consequences, including the disqualification of its candidate by court order — a development that could cost them the parliamentary seat.
The petition also notes that there are witnesses, including former classmates and teachers, who are ready to testify that the academic documents do not belong to Burundo Alex. A set of supporting documents, including salary slips, voter cards, and gazette notices, have reportedly been attached to support the claims.
This controversy has sparked renewed calls for transparency and accountability in Uganda’s political system. As the NRM Electoral Commission begins to examine the petition, the public and party members alike are left asking: Is Burundo Alex truly qualified, or has the system been deceived by a carefully constructed false identity?
