By The Electoral Commission has disqualified Mr King James Atwine Nkizimagar, an independent candidate for the Isingiro North parliamentary seat, triggering a storm of accusations over alleged political interference and irregularities in the validation of his academic documents.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Atwine said he had “called the world to attention” over what he described as a “very, very, very unfortunate and unbelievable” decision by UNEB and the EC.
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He said he was duly nominated on October 22, 2025, after participating in the NRM primaries which he lost before opting to run as an independent.
“I was nominated on the 22nd of October 2025. Here is my nomination form that was duly signed. I was duly nominated on that day,” he said.
According to Atwine, the EC later summoned him for a petition hearing after a complaint was filed by one Kazungu Benson, whom he identified as a driver to State Minister for Agriculture Lt Col (rtd) Bright Rwamirama, his main opponent in the race. The petitioner accused Atwine of possessing forged academic documents.
“I appeared before Justice Wabwaka and the panel. To my surprise, I found Benson Kazungu, whom I know as the driver of Minister Bright Rwamirama, as the petitioner,” he said.
Atwine told the EC he needed time to verify the allegations with UNEB, only to learn that the examinations board had already issued a letter invalidating his academic documents without notifying him.
“I don’t know how UNEB invalidated my results without consulting me,” he said.
He added that upon further inquiry, he discovered that UNEB had acted on a complaint involving a different individual, also named Atwine James, but with index number 037, whereas his index number is 008.
“The complaint was against someone with index number 037. But UNEB went ahead and invalidated the results of a totally different person myself with index number 008,” he said.
Atwine said he secured a court order directing UNEB to give him a hearing over the disputed documents, but claimed the board has failed to comply.
“UNEB has not done so because it is being influenced by the person I am standing against, the Hon. Minister Bright Rwamirama,” he alleged. “He has vowed to fight anybody standing against him. But I didn’t know it could reach the level of invalidating my hard-earned academic qualifications.”
Atwine appeared before the media with his former head teacher, whom he said had come to confirm the authenticity of his academic record.
The EC has not issued a detailed public statement on the circumstances surrounding his disqualification.
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