Kampala Woman MP aspirant, Stella Nyanzi has attacked presidential hopeful Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, for reportedly lying about his age.
“For me, it is the dishonesty that is disturbing. If he (Bobi) was born in 1980, he lied about 1982. If he was born in 1982, he lied about 1980. Lying about something as banal as one’s age reveals immense possibility of lying about much more,” said Nyanzi, a former lecturer at Makerere University.
“Call it trivia on my part, but this seemingly small matter raises deep questions about trust. How do we trust the words of a man who lies about his age?” she wondered.
“How do we plan with a man who lies about his age? How do we depend on the promises of a man who lies about his age?”
Queries about Bobi’s real age has damaged his reputation and threatened his 2021 presidential bid with relentless city lawyer, Joseph Mabirizi, petitioning Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) for Bobi’s academic documents.
Mabirizi accuses Bobi of providing misleading information to authorities which he says potentially disqualifies him from the 2021 presidential race
The lawyer doubts Bobi’s claims that he was born in 1982 and sat A-Level exams in 1998, saying, “It meant that he sat A-Level at 16 years, O-Level at 13, Primary Leaving Examinations at 9 and joined Primary 1 at two years.”
Mabirizi also states that Makerere University Academic Transcript revealed that Bobi’s age differs from what he wrote in the nomination document as it shows that he was born on February 12, 1980 yet he claimed “to be 35 years as of 31st May 2017, meaning that he was born in 1982.”
Mabirizi further contends that “although UNEB Letter of certification of results for UCE in the names of Kyagulanyi Ssentamu R shows that he sat the exams in 1996 that of UACE in the names of Kyagulanyi Robert Sentamu shows that he sat the exams in March 1998, within a space of less than two years.”
The lawyer has since written to Wakiso Chief Magistrate’s Court seeking permission to prosecute Bobi with five counts resulting from contents of his Academic qualifications.
If Mabirizi wins the case, Bobi’s hopes of contesting in the 2021 race or returning to Parliament could be dashed.
Nyanzi, who recently broke ties with People Power over confusion, lack of structures and intrigue in the group, said Bobi should have been honest about his age.
“Now, the one thing I really don’t understand is why a heterosexual man would formally tell lies about his age. Usually, it is vain women or effeminate gay men who are stereotyped as constantly cutting their ages by years. But a man running for public office, first as an MP and now as president? Why would such a person lie about their age?” she wondered.
“Would it have mattered if Bobi Wine was born in 1980 or 1982? Would it be that detrimental if he was born in 1970 or 1975 or even 1978? Clearly, he had a beard and an Adam’s apple; indicators of physical maturity. He had a wife and biological children. He was an adult (presumably of sound mind) and therefore qualified for the political office of MP. Why did he fall for the temptation to doctor his age?”
Nyanzi’s remarks ignited a firestorm of attacks and condemnation from Bobi’s supporters, saying she should leave their presidential hopeful alone.
However, her supporters say Bobi, just like any other person seeking political officer, should face scrutiny.
Bobi is yet to speak out on the contentious issues that threatens his budding political career.
