Bobi Wine camp cries foul as Museveni formalizes Tibuhaburwa name change

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised concerns over reports that President Yoweri Museveni has formalized name changes to adopt the Tibuhaburwa name.

According to NUP lawyer Muwada Nkunyingi of Muwada and Company Advocates, in a deed poll dated October 06, Museveni added the ‘Tibuhaburwa’ name on his official names.

Nkunyingi now suspects Museveni could have used someone else’s document to contest in previous elections.

“It’s still unclear to me in which names and whose academic documents, if any, did candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni present for 2016 nomination to the Electoral Commission,” said Nkunyingi.

The lawyer says he has checked all previous election processes and results but had not found anyone who had used documents bearing the name Tibuhaburwa.

“How did the Electoral Commission claim to have received academic documents, if any, in different names, then nominated a totally different names and without a deed poll changing names?” wondered Nkunyingi.

“Why would a president of around 35 years in power innocently rush to change names and introduce a totally new name in his old age within 39 days after a request for his academic documents from the Electoral Commission?”

It remains unclear if the name change affects requisite academic papers that qualifies Museveni for nomination as a presidential candidate.

But the Kamwokya-based NUP is leveraging on the deed poll to push for the release of Museveni’s academic documents.

Months ago, the Electoral Commission (EC) released Bobi Wine’s papers after perennial litigant Male Mabirizi requested for them.

But the EC is yet to honor Nkunyingi’s request for Museveni’s papers.

In power since 1986 following a five-year bush war, Museveni is seeking another five years at the helm.

Revelation of a deed poll formalizing his name change comes days after fellow presidential aspirants like his former bush war comrades Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu (a former army commander), and Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Tumukunde (a former security minister) began on processes to effect name changes.

Bobi Wine and several parliament aspirants have also started on a process to change their names.