UPC leadership row deepens
The committee, chaired by Paul Peter Okello, announced the suspension of Enap last week on Thursday (September 17). The four-member committee also recommended to the party's National Council that Enap be dismissed from the party.
A photo collage of former Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party president Jimmy Akena and his former personal assistant turned rival, Denis Adim Enap. (File)
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The leadership dispute within the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has deepened after the party's National Disciplinary Committee recommended the suspension of former party president Jimmy Akena’s personal assistant and former Makerere University Guild speaker, Denis Adim Enap.
The committee, chaired by Paul Peter Okello, announced the suspension of Enap last week on Thursday (September 17). The four-member committee also recommended to the party's National Council that Enap be dismissed from the party.
The committee is accusing Enap of breaching the UPC Constitution and 15 party regulations, including allegedly using the party's name, emblem, flag, stamp and the title of party president without authority.
The decision is the latest development in a long-running contest between Enap and UPC president Akena over the leadership and direction of one of Uganda's oldest political parties.
Background
Around May 2025, Enap emerged to contest against Akena for the UPC top job.
In response, Enap filed a court case challenging Akena’s eligibility to continue as UPC party president after his 10-year tenure. The judge agreed with Enap, and Akena’s nomination for the 2026 presidential elections was nullified.
Akena later told the press that he was pleased by the Court ruling and that he had chosen not to appeal because it had validated his party presidency.
Riding on the Court ruling, the UPC Electoral Commission had three of its Electoral Commission officials; Jack Khabusi Emmanuel Were Magero, Aisha Naome Natukunda and Josephine Babirye, writing to the national Electoral Commission, informing it that Enap was the new UPC Party President since he had been the only one appropriately nominated and was unopposed.
Akena eventually fired the three UPC electoral commission staff.