Otunnu denies convening delegates' conference

Jul 09, 2015

OLARA Otunnu of the opposition Uganda People''s Congress Party has rubbished Jimmy Akena''s endorsement as the new party president calling his actions a disgrace to the party

By Jeff Andrew Lule

 

  • Akena accuses Otunnu of personalizing the party

DR. Olara Otunnu, the president of Uganda People's Congress (UPC) has dismissed Jimmy Akena's endorsement as the new party president, describing Akena's actions as a disgrace to the party.

 

He said that he was surprised to hear that a 'consultative meeting' was suddenly turned into a so called 'delegates conference', for the sole purpose of crowning Akena 'party president'.

 

Otunnu said this while addressing journalists at a press conference at Speke Hotel in Kampala.

 

His reaction comes a week after a section of UPC members endorsed the Lira Municipality MP as party president, during a consultative meeting at the Uganda Manufactures' Association Hall, Lugogo.

 

"The meeting was convened entirely under false pretence. This marks an unprecedented watershed of illegality, impunity and hubris. This act was also meant to divert attention from the very important work of the Independent Commission of Inquiry," Otunnu said.

 

Following what transpired in the district nominations, Otunnu instituted a commission of inquiry headed by Prof Patrick Rubaihayo to investigate what happened. Other members of the commission include; Dr. James Rwanyarare, Lawyer Peter Walubiri, Professors Charles Kagenda and Willy Anokbonggo.

 

He said under the party constitution, Akena has no power whatsoever to convene or conduct such a consultative meeting of members of the DC.

 

"Under article 13.3 of our constitution, only the party president can convene the DC; nobody else is mandated. I have never called any DC," he added.

 

Adding that, the convening of the DC by the party president requires formal notice of thirty days, agenda, date, place and time of meeting, stressing that no DC is convened under ambush or sabotage like what Akena did.

 

Otunnu explained that under UPC constitution, no 'consultative meeting', convened under whatever auspices or pretext can simply by casual declaration, be transformed into a DC.

 

He said in UPC, there is no position, role or tradition of 'president elect' as Akena has purportedly been calling himself. He further clarified that what happened on May 30, 2015, was not an election exercise as Akena and his supporters purport, but a nomination exercise of various aspirants.

 

"Our constitution stipulates that any candidate to be elected must have one and a third of the district support before being elected by the DC. But even the EC has never announced results from the nominations exercise," Otunnu said.

 

He alleged that Akena with the help of some armed men ambushed the party headquarters and forced some members of the party EC to announce him, before all results were tallied.  

 

Otunnu explained that under the UPC constitution, only a legally convened and properly constituted DC has the mandate to elect the party president, from a list of duly nominated candidates. "No other gathering, however contrived, can usurp this role and mandate," he added.

 

He stressed that all actions undertaken by Akena under the guise of 'president elect', and all actions taken at the 'consultative meeting' on July 1, 2015, are null and void.

 When contacted, Akena said they were fed up with the personalization of the party organs by Otunnu and his executive.

 

"For five years, we have not held one National Council meeting and at least two delegates' conferences as required. It is hypocritical for the likes of Otunnu and his executive for having failed to constitute the organs of the party," he said.

 

Akena said he called the delegates' because they have the mandate to change the leadership of the party.

 

He also vowed not to appear before the commission of inquiry, saying it was an alien commission where he (Otunnu) is the appointing authority, the convener and chief complainant on party matters.

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