Africa-Press – Uganda. A tense standoff unfolded at Jinja City Hall on Friday as Mubarak Kirunda , the National Unity Platform (NUP) flagbearer for the city mayoral race, was nearly disqualified from the race due to inconsistencies in his official documents.
Kirunda, who arrived early at the nomination centre, spent more than nine hours being bounced between offices over discrepancies in his names. While his National ID identifies him as Kirunda Mubarak, his academic documents bear the name “Edris”, triggering a red flag from Electoral Commission officials.
According to Flavia Nakasi, the Jinja City Returning Officer, Kirunda had previously sworn a deed poll to change his name, but had not submitted it to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) for legal validation.
“Mr. Kirunda Mubarak had sworn an affidavit through a deed poll to change his name, but he did not present this to NIRA for validation. That’s why we couldn’t clear him immediately,” Nakasi explained.
She advised him to either update his records with NIRA or submit new expression of interest forms using his registered name only. In a frantic race against the clock, Kirunda opted for the latter and was cleared just minutes before the 5:00 PM deadline, narrowly securing his nomination.
NUP Leaders Scramble to Save Candidacy
The near-disqualification prompted swift action from local NUP leaders, including Morrison Bizitu, Swaleh Kiswiriri, and comedian-turned-politician Hussein Muyonjo aka Swengere, who were seen rushing between offices to resolve the impasse.
Kirunda, visibly stressed, was constantly on phone—believed to be consulting with his legal team and party leadership in Kavule—throughout the day.
Relief finally swept through his team when the Returning Officer confirmed his nomination, prompting celebrations among his supporters gathered outside City Hall.
Kirunda, the former LCIII Chairperson for Jinja Central Division, used the moment to pledge a transparent and pro-people leadership, citing improvement of road infrastructure and protection of land rights as key pillars of his campaign.
“I want to thank everyone who stood by me. I will serve the people of Jinja with dignity, transparency, and a focus on real service delivery,” he said.
He now faces 12 other candidates vying for the mayoral seat in what promises to be one of the most competitive races in the city’s political history.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
