Uganda National Examinations Board [UNEB], and State House have written to Parliament explaining queries earlier raised by the Parliament’s Appointments committee about Minister for the Presidency designate, Ms Milly Babirye Babalanda on Monday.
President Museveni has confirmed that the person he appointed to the Presidency was indeed Ms “Milly Babirye Babalanda” and not “Mariam Doka Babalanda”. In the same light, UNEB has written to Parliament explaining that its adult programs under which Ms Babalanda sat her examinations were not strict on sciences subjects being compulsory.
Ms Babalanda’s vetting was deferred after the committee found some inconsistencies in her name and academic documents and hence sought clarifications before she can get cleared.
The Minister designate’s Ordinary Level [O’level] certificate presented to the committee shows that she sat for eight instead of ten subjects as ordinarily required by UNEB. Of these, Physics and Chemistry – compulsory subjects, were also missing.
The other objection was about the differences in the names on her documents and those written on her appointment letter.
Ms Babalanda is officially known as “Milly Babirye Babalanda”, but President Museveni had forwarded the name “Mariam Doka Babalanda” to the Speaker which called for further questioning on the presidential assistant who has been in charge of the Office of the National Chairman in Kyambogo.
It’s against this background that the vetting process was halted by Deputy Speaker Anita Among until the questions above are cleared.
Watchdog Uganda has however exclusively learned that both UNEB and President Museveni have written to the Speaker regarding the matter.
President Museveni on his part clarified that Ms. Milly Babirye Balanda is the person he appointed and not ‘Mariam Doka Babalanda” as was written earlier.
While UNEB, has come out to make clarifications on Babalanda’s O’level certificate which has eight and not 10 subjects, with Chemistry and Physics subjects missing. UNEB explained in the June 14 letter that she sat for the examinations under the adult literacy program where the two subjects are optional.
By the close of Monday, the Office of the Speaker had received both letters which will be presented to the committee when it convenes on Tuesday to conclude the vetting process.
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