Akena tells UPC faithful to stand by party’s eventual presidential pick

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Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president Jimmy Akena has urged his supporters to reserve their votes for the presidential candidate the party will endorse, rather than incumbent President Yoweri Museveni.

Akena made the remarks on November 8, 2025, while meeting party flag-bearers at his country home in Senior Quarters, Lira city.

The meeting was attended by UPC parliamentary candidates, LC5 chairpersons and mayoral aspirants from across the country.

He told the party candidates to take pride in the UPC flag and work towards inspiring the next generation of leaders to build on the party’s legacy.

“You, flag-bearers, have the right flag and the right party. Carry that flag proudly and inspire the next generation to continue where you will stop,” Akena said.

Akena reaffirmed his resolve to challenge President Yoweri Museveni, saying he would not hesitate to hold the Head of State accountable for the country’s problems. 

UPC had previously entered into a cooperation agreement with the ruling NRM ahead of the 2016 general elections and hasn't fielded a presidential candidate in the two previous elections that have been held in the country.

“I will do my part as much as I can, and I promise you I will not spare the President. Anybody who says I should spare the President will never be my friend,” he declared.

He further urged his supporters who had planned to vote for him to hold on to their votes until the party identifies a presidential candidate.

“Those who wanted to vote for me or supported me, don’t give that vote to the President. Keep it — we shall discuss and sort it out,” he added, drawing applause from the candidates.

Akena criticised the government over what he described as the dire conditions faced by health workers and teachers, citing poor remuneration and lack of recognition.

He said these challenges have undermined service delivery in key sectors.

He recalled that during the UPC-led government at independence, Uganda had fewer than 400 medical doctors, yet the health system expanded by 78 per cent owing to motivation and investment in personnel.

“If I fall sick in Tororo or Kisoro, I should find a motivated health worker ready to serve me. That was the UPC legacy,” he said.

Cattle compensation plan ‘unrealistic’

Akena also dismissed President Museveni’s recent proposal to compensate households in Lango, Teso, and Acholi with five head of cattle each, calling it unrealistic and deceptive.

He said, citing the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report, that the three sub-regions have about 1.63 million households. At that rate, the plan would require more than eight million cattle, costing approximately sh2.4 trillion if each animal were valued at sh1.5 million.

“When the President says he is going to restock households with five animals each, the figures simply don’t add up. This is another empty promise meant to please the people,” Akena said.

He urged UPC candidates to remain steadfast and uphold the party’s principles of service, accountability and unity as they campaign across the country.

While addressing a campaign rally at Dokolo Technical School in Dokolo district, Museveni emphasised that the new plan aims to ensure that each household receives at least five cattle, though the compensation will be done in phases.

“I told your leaders, why don’t we ensure that every household gets five cows? I got a report from Teso that they support me, and Lango is also supporting, when I met them together with Won Nyaci and Denis Hamson Obua,” Museveni said.

He acknowledged past failures in the compensation process and directed his team to implement a phased approach to ensure fairness and transparency.

“It will not be in one year, but in phases — we shall be there,” the President added.

The cattle compensation programme has long been a contentious issue in Lango and Teso, with both communities and local leaders criticising the process for benefiting only a few claimants — those who dragged the government to court in 2014 and won — yet Lango has a population of 2.5 million people.