Will Otunnu ascend power Obote style?
Mar 15, 2010
FACTS about the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) history are that the party was formed out of a merger between the Uganda National Congress (UNC) of Ignatius Musazi and Uganda People Union (UPU) of Cuthbert Obwangor. “U†was the common denomination letter between the two parties and was adopted
By Sadam Bisase Zakaria
FACTS about the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) history are that the party was formed out of a merger between the Uganda National Congress (UNC) of Ignatius Musazi and Uganda People Union (UPU) of Cuthbert Obwangor. “U†was the common denomination letter between the two parties and was adopted to be the initial letter for the new name of the party.
They continued and picked one letter from each one of the two parties. “P†from (UPU) and “C†from (UNC) and formed Uganda People’s congress (UPC), during a delegates conference held on March 25, 1960 in Mbale.
After adopting a consensus on the name, the delegates resolved to elect the party president.
Obwangor was first proposed as the candidate, but withdrew his name and instead proposed Obote’s name. Obote was seconded and nominations were closed. Obote was then elected unopposed to become the first UPC party president.
Earlier in 1957, like Otunnu, Obote had just returned from Nairobi Kenya where he had gone in exile after he was expelled from Makerere University during his second year for leading a students’ strike.
Makerere at the time was known as Makerere College University of the East Africa. Sir Bernard was the principal who dismissed Obote.
Obote then secured a scholarship from Lango district council to go to Khartoum University of Sudan, where he had wanted to pursue a degree in law, but did not make it after the colonial government refused to give clearance of funds to the Lango district council to sponsor Obote’s studies.
The colonial government reasoned that Lango did not need a lawyer. Obote then secured a job as a clerk with Mowlem Construction Company in Walukuba, Jinja where he stayed for some time before he left for Nairobi where he continued working for the same company.
While in Nairobi, Kenya he joined the Kenyan African Union a political party, which later transformed into the Kenyan African National Union (KANU).
Obote became the secretary for the party. It was during his association in the KANU activities that he came in contact with the fire brand the Tom Mboya (RIP) who was Kenya’s renowned political activist.
They engaged the colonial government of Kenya to advocate the Independence of African states. Obote and Mboya could engage the Whites in intellectual discussions in bars on the freedom of the black people and their rights to lead and manage themselves.
At that time in Uganda, momentum had also picked among Ugandans to advocate their political freedom and demand their independence. During one of their discussions to strengthen their political activities and influence in the country, UNC leaders at the time the notable ones being; Ignutius Musazi, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka, Balaki Kirya and others saw the need to include other Ugandans in the parties.
During the meeting, Balaki Kirya informed the parties of a Ugandan called Obote in Kenya who because of his influence in Kenyan politics, could be invited to join them and advance the same cause at home.
They agreed and delegated Kirya to contact Obote. In 1957, Obote came and joined them and was elected secretary of the UNC party. During his first week in the country, he visited Lango and addressed Lango District Council. Because of his oratory skills, Lango District Council realised that he was more skilled than Obonya the person who represented Lango district in the legislative council.
The council recommended that he should be recalled and advised that he steps down for Obote. Within one week, Obote had effectively assumed the position and was now the Lango District Council representative. Obote’s vibrancy enabled UPC to take power in 1962, barely two years after the party was formed.
He used his negotiation skills to convince Buganda Kingdom to form an alliance with Kabaka Yeka party against the Democratic Party, a strategy which saw UPC win victory to form a coalition government with Buganda at independence.
Obote then became the executive prime minister and the Kabaka the president. Like Obote this time round, Otunnu has embarked on a campaign strategy calling for political parties alliance to face President Museveni as a common enemy in the 2011 presidential elections.
By comparison, Otunnu has common characteristics with Obote in many areas of experience. While in Makerere University where he was elected a guild president, Otunnu organised a demonstration against the military government of president Idi Amin.
As in the case of Obote, Otunnu’s acts got him into problems and he had to leave Makerere prematurely before completing his law degree course.
Otunnu finally went to Britain’s Oxford University where he pursued a bachelors degree in laws (LLB) then to American Harvard University where he obtained both masters degrees in laws (LLB) and a doctorate of laws (LLD). Like Obote interaction with the fire brand Tom Mboya in Kenya, Otunnu interacted with Obama, now president of the US as his lecturer of Law, at Harvard University.
Otunnu spent almost 15 years in exile while the government of Uganda denied him a passport when he declared intention to stand for the UN post as the United Nations Secretary general (a place where he worked as Uganda’s UN permanent representative, a position he held on appointment by president Obote)
Like the colonial government’s refusal to grant Obote a scholarship, President Museveni’s government also denied Otunnu recommendation and he missed the opportunity to become the UN secretary General.
In 1957, Obote’s return from Kenya attracted public attention, similarly when Otunnu returned from exile, his return attracted public and media attention both locally and internationally. Obote was a gifted orator, so is Otunnu.
Now that Otunnu has been elected the UPC party president can the party once again make a surprise return for the third term.
The writer was a UPC activist from 1986-1996, and now president Congress Service Volunteers party
FACTS about the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) history are that the party was formed out of a merger between the Uganda National Congress (UNC) of Ignatius Musazi and Uganda People Union (UPU) of Cuthbert Obwangor. “U†was the common denomination letter between the two parties and was adopted to be the initial letter for the new name of the party.
They continued and picked one letter from each one of the two parties. “P†from (UPU) and “C†from (UNC) and formed Uganda People’s congress (UPC), during a delegates conference held on March 25, 1960 in Mbale.
After adopting a consensus on the name, the delegates resolved to elect the party president.
Obwangor was first proposed as the candidate, but withdrew his name and instead proposed Obote’s name. Obote was seconded and nominations were closed. Obote was then elected unopposed to become the first UPC party president.
Earlier in 1957, like Otunnu, Obote had just returned from Nairobi Kenya where he had gone in exile after he was expelled from Makerere University during his second year for leading a students’ strike.
Makerere at the time was known as Makerere College University of the East Africa. Sir Bernard was the principal who dismissed Obote.
Obote then secured a scholarship from Lango district council to go to Khartoum University of Sudan, where he had wanted to pursue a degree in law, but did not make it after the colonial government refused to give clearance of funds to the Lango district council to sponsor Obote’s studies.
The colonial government reasoned that Lango did not need a lawyer. Obote then secured a job as a clerk with Mowlem Construction Company in Walukuba, Jinja where he stayed for some time before he left for Nairobi where he continued working for the same company.
While in Nairobi, Kenya he joined the Kenyan African Union a political party, which later transformed into the Kenyan African National Union (KANU).
Obote became the secretary for the party. It was during his association in the KANU activities that he came in contact with the fire brand the Tom Mboya (RIP) who was Kenya’s renowned political activist.
They engaged the colonial government of Kenya to advocate the Independence of African states. Obote and Mboya could engage the Whites in intellectual discussions in bars on the freedom of the black people and their rights to lead and manage themselves.
At that time in Uganda, momentum had also picked among Ugandans to advocate their political freedom and demand their independence. During one of their discussions to strengthen their political activities and influence in the country, UNC leaders at the time the notable ones being; Ignutius Musazi, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka, Balaki Kirya and others saw the need to include other Ugandans in the parties.
During the meeting, Balaki Kirya informed the parties of a Ugandan called Obote in Kenya who because of his influence in Kenyan politics, could be invited to join them and advance the same cause at home.
They agreed and delegated Kirya to contact Obote. In 1957, Obote came and joined them and was elected secretary of the UNC party. During his first week in the country, he visited Lango and addressed Lango District Council. Because of his oratory skills, Lango District Council realised that he was more skilled than Obonya the person who represented Lango district in the legislative council.
The council recommended that he should be recalled and advised that he steps down for Obote. Within one week, Obote had effectively assumed the position and was now the Lango District Council representative. Obote’s vibrancy enabled UPC to take power in 1962, barely two years after the party was formed.
He used his negotiation skills to convince Buganda Kingdom to form an alliance with Kabaka Yeka party against the Democratic Party, a strategy which saw UPC win victory to form a coalition government with Buganda at independence.
Obote then became the executive prime minister and the Kabaka the president. Like Obote this time round, Otunnu has embarked on a campaign strategy calling for political parties alliance to face President Museveni as a common enemy in the 2011 presidential elections.
By comparison, Otunnu has common characteristics with Obote in many areas of experience. While in Makerere University where he was elected a guild president, Otunnu organised a demonstration against the military government of president Idi Amin.
As in the case of Obote, Otunnu’s acts got him into problems and he had to leave Makerere prematurely before completing his law degree course.
Otunnu finally went to Britain’s Oxford University where he pursued a bachelors degree in laws (LLB) then to American Harvard University where he obtained both masters degrees in laws (LLB) and a doctorate of laws (LLD). Like Obote interaction with the fire brand Tom Mboya in Kenya, Otunnu interacted with Obama, now president of the US as his lecturer of Law, at Harvard University.
Otunnu spent almost 15 years in exile while the government of Uganda denied him a passport when he declared intention to stand for the UN post as the United Nations Secretary general (a place where he worked as Uganda’s UN permanent representative, a position he held on appointment by president Obote)
Like the colonial government’s refusal to grant Obote a scholarship, President Museveni’s government also denied Otunnu recommendation and he missed the opportunity to become the UN secretary General.
In 1957, Obote’s return from Kenya attracted public attention, similarly when Otunnu returned from exile, his return attracted public and media attention both locally and internationally. Obote was a gifted orator, so is Otunnu.
Now that Otunnu has been elected the UPC party president can the party once again make a surprise return for the third term.
The writer was a UPC activist from 1986-1996, and now president Congress Service Volunteers party