UPC calls for dialogue among political parties

The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party has called for dialogue among political parties so as to preserve peace and cohesion.

The party spokesperson Michael Osinde said political differences within parties should be resolved through dialogue instead of going to courts of law.

"Dialogue should be the way forward. It is important for all political parties to engage in reconciliation instead of going to courts," he said.

Osinde said this while reacting to the Uganda Law Society president Francis Gimara who on Tuesday said that the current political standoff between President Museveni and jailed former FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye cannot be solved by courts of law.

In his statement, Gimara instead proposed a political dialogue as a remedy to the standoff.

"We have noted the increase in pressure on the Judiciary to handle disputes that essentially require political solutions as opposed to legal solutions," Gimara said.

During the party's weekly press conference on Wednesday at their headquarters in Kampala, Osinde said that there was need for reconciliation among the political players to enable the country to be governed by patriotic values.

"Our party holds the view that a consensus devolution and exercise of power is necessary for the preservation of peace and stability cherished by Ugandans," he said.

"The difficult living conditions, threats to Uganda's sovereignty, and the clamor by different political parties to take over power, expose the country to risks of explosion, disorder and anarchy" he added.

Osinde also said UPC has invited former party president Olara Otunu for mediation to mitigate the current divisions bedeviling one of Uganda's oldest political parties.

He added that after withdrawing the case they expected Otunu to participate in the mediations but he has not shown interest.

"We have always extended an olive branch to party members that have failed to come to terms with the decision of those who voted on May 30, 2015, but they seem to be uninterested.

The current administration feels that court-bound decision should not be a pre-requisite for dealing with political disputes," Osinde said.

In December last year Akena's faction expressed willingness to reconcile with the Otunnu-led function but no process has been initiated in that regard.

Joseph Bossa, the Otunnu-led faction vice president in an interview last month denied claims that there had been a process instituted to talk reconciliation.

The two factions are battling for legitimacy and have been advised to settle their differences out of court.