EC bars Akena, other UPC contenders from 2026 presidential race

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has ruled that Jimmy Akena, the Lira East Division MP and Uganda People's Congress (UPC) leader, is ineligible to contest for the 2026 general elections as a presidential candidate.

Justice Simon Byabakama, EC chairperson, issued a letter dated September 20, 2025, following consultations with senior UPC officials at the Electoral Commission headquarters.

The ruling comes after prolonged disputes within the UPC with senior members Akena, Denis Adim Enap, Joseph Pinytek Ochieno and Peter Walubiri Mukidi, all disputing the UPC leadership and the legitimacy of the party’s presidential flag bearers for 2026.

“The nomination of Akena for the office of UPC party president for the period 2025-2030 is illegal, null, and void. Further, the nomination of Denis Adim Enap did not comply with Article 13 of the UPC party constitution,” Justice Byabakama stated. Enap is a member of the UPC and is a lawyer, an economist and a trained pilot.

The decision was communicated to the UPC secretary general and the law firms representing the parties involved.

Background of the legal disputes

Akena was originally elected UPC party president on July 1, 2015, a result contested in the High Court by Joseph Bbosa, Prof. Edward Kakonge, and Isha Amiza Otto. On December 11, 2015, Justice Yasin Nyanzi nullified Akena’s election as party president.

The UPC appealed to the Court of Appeal, and on December 9, 2016, then-Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma issued an interim order staying execution of the High Court ruling. Based on this order, Akena continued to serve as UPC party president, completing the five-year term from 2015 to 2020.

The Court of Appeal later ruled that the UPC must conduct nominations and elections in accordance with the party constitution. Following this, senior lawyer Peter Walubiri organised a delegates’ conference, and on December 17 2020, he was elected party president. Akena did not participate in the conference but continued to assert leadership.

Recent developments

On May 21, 2025, UPC nominated two candidates, Enap and Akena, for the party president position for the 2025-2030 term. Enap subsequently challenged Akena’s nomination in court.

The court ruled that Akena’s nomination was illegal and restrained UPC from accepting his candidacy for the 2025-2030 term.

This decision effectively bars Akena and other affected UPC contenders from contesting the 2026 presidential elections under the party banner.

Before issuing the decision, Byabakama held a closed-door meeting on Saturday (September 20) with UPC leaders to decide who would carry the party’s flag.