UPC rigs Ogwal out of elections

Sep 18, 2005

UGANDA People’s Congress (UPC) stalwart and Lira Municipality MP Cecilia Ogwal has been locked out of the party’s primary elections to select leaders for the delegates conference to be held soon.

By Patrick Okino
and Alex Ocen

UGANDA People’s Congress (UPC) stalwart and Lira Municipality MP Cecilia Ogwal has been locked out of the party’s primary elections to select leaders for the delegates conference to be held soon.
Lira district vice-chairperson Rebecca Otengo, municipality mayor Peter Owiny and his deputy Nelson Adea suffered Ogwal’s fate.
But Jimmy Akena, the son of UPC chief and former president Milton Obote, was elected unopposed in the party primary elections on Saturday.
The Constitutional Steering Committee (CSC) headed by Haji Badru Wegulo organised the elections through UPC district organising committees, which is opposed by Ogwal and other Lango MPs.
It means that Ogwal will not be eligible to attend the party delegates conference.
UPC district mobilser Williams Onyanga said Akena was elected unopposed at the Senior Quarters Ward, Lira Municipality, where his father’s house is located.
Ogwal said, “I and municipality deputy mayor Nelson Adea have been locked out of the UPC primary elections in my parish Bazzar. Some UPC diehards, including vice-chairperson LC5 Lira Rebecca Otengo and mayor, Peter Owiny, were also locked out.”
Lira central division UPC official Williams Onyanga confirmed the elections.
Otuke MP Daniel Omara Atubo said there had been a conspiracy “from the highest level within the party” to lock out all Lango UPC MPs, district chairpersons and mayors from the elections. He said he and other MPs had, however, survived, but Ogwal and others were “rigged” out.
“The plan was to lock all of us out,” said Atubo, who was elected at Ating parish in Olum sub-county.
Atubo said Akena’s election was rigged. He said people from a nearby displaced people’s camp excited to see Akena, were turned into supporters and asked to endorse him. “If the issue of Ogwal is not resolved and she is locked out, UPC will face death in Lango in 2006. It will be the death sentence for UPC,” Atubo said. He said UPC had to exercise internal democracy under the national Constitution.
Ogwal said she went to Bazzar parish but found no supervisors. She said it was a trick to exclude her.
“I came to the polling station at 7:00am without taking even water and stayed here until 5:43pm. To my surprise, I was told the voting had taken place. Where, at what time and who was elected? I am still puzzled,” she added.
The elections in the parish were reportedly carried out at night. Ogwal, Owiny, Otengo and Moroto MP Dr. Alex Okot told Radio Unity on Saturday that the primary elections were not conducted in accordance with the party constitution and must be nullified for fresh ones.
Ogwal said she had suffered under the Movement Government and the suffering continued under her own party, which she said she struggled to register.
She vowed to fight against her saboteurs until death.
“No retreat, no surrender and no giving up. I will fight for my rights and all the people who tried to block me will see fire,” Ogwal told a crowd at VH Public School.
“We shall meet in 2006 and they will see fire. For God and My Country,” Ogwal charged.
Ends

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