Olara Otunnu suspends campaigns for festivities

Dec 29, 2010

UGANDA People’s Congress (UPC) presidential candidate Olara Otunnu has suspended his campaigns till January 2, 2011.

By Racheal Ninsiima

UGANDA People’s Congress (UPC) presidential candidate Olara Otunnu has suspended his campaigns till January 2, 2011.

Otunnu revealed this at a press conference at UPC offices in Kampala.

“I broke off the campaign trail due to the festive season. I want to come back fresh after we have entered the New Year,” he said.

Otunnu said he would resume with campaigns in Teso region. He broke off for holidays on December 21, after traversing the West Nile region. He said he used that time to meet all candidates running on the UPC ticket.

Otunnu has also promised to establish a ‘representative forum’ to address all complaints against UPC. The forum will mainly address the Buganda issues as regards the 1966 crisis.

“When I was elected party president, the first thing I sought was to establish a proper relationship with the Kabaka. The forum will just follow up this mission,” Otunnu said.

He said the forum would also tackle three pertinent issues to the UPC. Otunnu listed these as maintenance of the Bugisu Cooperative Union, the controversial Cultural Leaders Bill and the arrest and torture of one of UPC’s agents, Ibrahim Kalema, on Christmas Day.

He said he would also establish the Uganda petroleum board, a body that would negotiate contracts with oil dealers and apportion funds received from oil.

Otunnu said he would initiate the Uganda Trust Fund in which all the oil proceeds would be put in order to fund the development of education, healthcare and agriculture.

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