By KT Reporter
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission has dropped Fiona Nakku from the race for the party flag bearer position of National Female Youth Member of Parliament, citing age ineligibility. In a letter signed by the party’s Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, Nakku was disqualified following several petitions challenging her eligibility.
One key petition, filed by lawyer Amanya Aaron, alleged that Nakku exceeds the legally required age limit of 30 years for youth parliamentary candidates. Amanya argued that Nakku, born on December 20, 1994, is currently 31 years old, surpassing the constitutional youth age bracket of 18 to 30.
Records from NIRA and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were cited to support this claim. Nakku reportedly sat her Senior 4 in 2010 at Kinawa High School in Nakawa at the age of 16. Dr. Tanga confirmed that the commission received communication from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) affirming that Nakku is overage and therefore ineligible to contest for youth council or related positions.
The National Youth Council Act and the Parliamentary Elections Act require candidates for youth parliamentary seats to be between 18 and 30 years. Youth MPs represent young people at the national level and are elected through an Electoral College system composed of district and regional youth councils. Age-related disputes have been common in youth leadership races, with some aspirants accused of falsifying or concealing their true ages to qualify.
In 2021, Mufakinanye Chris, popularly known as Omujujuguju, successfully petitioned against Blaise Kamugisha, the former Chairperson of the National Crime Presenters Forum, who had sought to contest as Chairperson of the NRM Youth League. Omujujuguju was also among those who petitioned the Tanga Odoi commission to disqualify Nakku for being over 30.
Nakku was among the top three contestants in the race and had already printed multimillion-shilling posters and mounted billboards across Kampala and other parts of the country. New billboards were reportedly pinned today along major streets, including Yusuf Lule and Jinja Road roundabouts.
She is said to be the sister of NRM Treasurer Babra Nekesa. Nakku previously contested the 2021 Busia District Woman MP race, losing to Hellen Wandera, who also recently lost the NRM flag in party primaries. Her disqualification now leaves the contest mainly between Diana Kampe Ampaire and Mercy Kanyesigye, who are viewed as having the strongest support among the delegates.
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