UPC dismisses top party officials

POLITICS

KAMPALA - The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) disciplinary committee has ruled that the former vice president, Joseph Bbosa and three other members of former party president, Olara Otunnu's cabinet be dismissed from the party.

The five-member committee chaired by Peter Paul Okello, found Bossa, the former party secretary general, Peter Walubiri, Jancito Ogwal, the former MP Otuke County and Isha Otto Amiza, former MP contestant, Oyam South County guilty of gross misconduct and abuse of the party constitution.

The other members of the party disciplinary committee are Ruth Atero, Umaru Kasoma, Rev. Moses Wambuzi and Musa Byaruhanga.

The party president, Jimmy Akena, dragged Bossa, Walubiri, Jancito and Otto to the committee accusing them of gross misconduct and disobeying the party decisions.

Akena blamed Bossa of holding out as the party president and instituting a civil suit against Orient Bank Limited in the party name without authorisation by the party cabinet.

 Bossa was also suspected of overseeing negative propaganda against the party nominated candidates in the 2016 general elections contrary to Article 5.2 (10) of the UPC Constitution 2008 as amended.

 Walubiri was accused of holding out as the party vice president, while Otto Amiza for holding out as the party secretary for mobilisation.

 Jacinto Ogwal was faulted for contesting as an independent candidate against a duly nominated party candidate in Otuke County in the 2016 general elections contrary to Article 3.6 (1) and (2) of the party constitution.

The four who question the legitimacy of Jimmy Akena leadership, however, refused to appear before the committee that sat on March 15, 2019.

In June 2015, Bossa dragged Akena to High Court to protest his election. High court Judge Yasin Nyanzi in his ruling August 2016 cancelled the election of Akena and ordered for the party's electoral body to organise fresh elections.

 In September 2015, the Bossa faction petitioned High Court seeking a permanent injunction restraining Akena from unlawfully occupying the various party positions including that of the president which was granted.

 However, Akena and his group filed an application at the Court of Appeal seeking an interim order on the implementation of the High Court orders, which was granted by then Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma. The matter to date remains in court.

Okello on Wednesday told journalists at a press conference held at the party headquarters at Uganda House in Kampala that, "It is only the complainant (Jimmy Akena) who appeared before the committee and explained his case. But the accused did not show up. They instead sent us messages informing us of how we were an illegal entity with no authority to try them."

Ruling

On March 29, 2019, according to Okello, the committee members delivered their ruling and they all agreed;

That Jacinto and Otto ceased being UPC members when they contested as independent candidates for Members of Parliament in Otuke and Oyam South County respectively.  It convicted Bossa and Walubiri of gross breach of the party constitution.

"Therefore Bossa and Walubiri have therefore lost their membership to the Uganda People's Congress.

As a result, Bossa, Walubiri, Jacinto and Otto have ceased being members of UPC with immediate effect," Okello ruled. The committee referred them to the party national council for further action.

The party national chairman, Lawrence Okae, disclosed that the party national council will convene soon to resolve on the disciplinary committee decision.

The Bossa group has insisted that no decision by the Akena administration can bind them, alleging that the Akena administration was an affiliate of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).