Otunnu homecoming: A revival or deathblow to the opposition?
EVEN with the repulsive remarks against him from the Obote family, Olara Otunnu, a former UN diplomat, seems all set not leave Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) for any other party.
By Moses Mulondo
EVEN with the repulsive remarks against him from the Obote family, Olara Otunnu, a former UN diplomat, seems all set not leave Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) for any other party.
As time for UPC’s Delegates Conference in October (during which the party will elect new leadership) draws closer, the battle lines already seem drawn.
Early this year, a new clause was added to the party’s constitution, requiring that for a person to qualify to stand for the party presidency, he must have acquired one-third of the support of the district organs. Some people believe the amendment was intended to fail the party’s presidential aspirants in the Diaspora, like Otunnu.
Presidential aspirants Jimmy Akena, Henry Mayega, and Sospat Akwenyu started canvassing for support in the UPC district organs about three months ago.
Judging from what is happening behind the scenes, the race for the party leadership could tear UPC apart, leaving it weaker than ever before.
From the onset, an apprehension of an acrimonious move that led to the sacking of some party stalwarts, John Okello Okello (who was vice president) and Benson Obua (who was the party youth leader) who had travelled to Nairobi to meet Olara Otunnu, sent signals that the bid for the UPC presidency would be a tag of war.
It should be remembered that the UPC parliamentary group rejected Miria’s cabinet reshuffle and asked her to reinstate the officials she had sacked to their positions, a thing she did not do. Of course, she was exercising her authority as given by the party constitution, which puts excessive power in the president.
The aggrieved party officials have been eagerly waiting for the Delegates Conference to revenge on Miria by voting against her son. Majority of these are now moving around with Otunnu in his upcountry tours.
As Otunnu tours different parts of the country, Akena and the other contenders, who had already toured the country, are also busy laying strategies to win the party’s topmost position, currently held by Miria Obote.
The whole of last week, Akena was reportedly training a group of trainers at Uganda House. An insider said they suspect the group is part of his campaign team he will use to canvass votes during the Delegates Conference.
Aware that Otunnu hails from Acholi, some politicians look at it as an extension of the traditional rivalry between the Acholi and the Langi.
Even the very 1985 coup that toppled Milton Obote was a result of a military conflict between the Acholi and the Langi. Otunnu has repeatedly denied any involvement in the coup.
Tony Akaki, the heir to Dr. Milton Obote, has already thrown a spanner into the wax by stopping Otunnu from visiting his father’s home (graveyard).
“At no time in his long life did my father ever desire to be associated with any political circus. Therefore, as a matter very personal to me and as part of my burden of responsibility that I gladly accepted, I have unequivocally decided that under these circumstances, Mr. Otunnu is not welcome,†Akaki said recently in a press statement. However, Miria said this was because the family was not informed and only learnt of Otunnu’s intention to visit from the press.
Going by the saying that “where there is smoke there is fireâ€, it is evident that the relations between Otunnu and Obote’s family are not smooth.
Can Otunnu, however, become UPC president without the blessing of the Obote family? Some UPC insiders have revealed that with or without the support and blessing of Obote’s family, Otunnu will win.
It appears the acrimony has reached a point of no return. This means that most likely, at the end of the current battles within the party, UPC will be left weaker and discredited than ever before.
“We have some people from Lango who think UPC should only, and only be ruled by the Langi.
Even these insensitive remarks from Tony Akaki that Otunnu is not welcome at Obote’s home in Akokoro could have been instigated by the same line of thinking, especially from the Oyima clan,†Erick Sakwa, a UPC research official, told The New Vision on Friday.
He also expressed dismay that in an ongoing youth training programme sponsored by Fredrick Ebert Foundation, the youth who are suspected to be supporting Olara Otunnu have been left out.
The one reason why Otunnu might overpower all ploys against him is because he has come with a reconciliation message not only between the Acholi and the Langi, but also between the north and south.
That is why on his arrival to Uganda, he sang Tukutendereza Yesu, the stanza of the East African Revival, an evangelistic movement that comprised transformational repentance, forgiveness and love messages.
Suppose Otunnu wins the UPC presidency and Norbert Mao wins the DP presidency (the two both hail from Acholi), it will be to the disadvantage of the opposition since it will divide their votes, especially in the north, the opposition stronghold.
And, if Otunnu succeeds in his campaign of bringing all the prodigal sons of UPC back to the party, what will be the fate of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)? In the previous elections, FDC won majority of its parliamentary seats in the UPC stronghold northern Ugandan. But, could this turn of events, the wrangles within UPC itself work in the favour FDC in those areas.
And what becomes of the coalition?
Who is the winner; who is the loser in all this circus?
Only time will tell.
EVEN with the repulsive remarks against him from the Obote family, Olara Otunnu, a former UN diplomat, seems all set not leave Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) for any other party.
As time for UPC’s Delegates Conference in October (during which the party will elect new leadership) draws closer, the battle lines already seem drawn.
Early this year, a new clause was added to the party’s constitution, requiring that for a person to qualify to stand for the party presidency, he must have acquired one-third of the support of the district organs. Some people believe the amendment was intended to fail the party’s presidential aspirants in the Diaspora, like Otunnu.
Presidential aspirants Jimmy Akena, Henry Mayega, and Sospat Akwenyu started canvassing for support in the UPC district organs about three months ago.
Judging from what is happening behind the scenes, the race for the party leadership could tear UPC apart, leaving it weaker than ever before.
From the onset, an apprehension of an acrimonious move that led to the sacking of some party stalwarts, John Okello Okello (who was vice president) and Benson Obua (who was the party youth leader) who had travelled to Nairobi to meet Olara Otunnu, sent signals that the bid for the UPC presidency would be a tag of war.
It should be remembered that the UPC parliamentary group rejected Miria’s cabinet reshuffle and asked her to reinstate the officials she had sacked to their positions, a thing she did not do. Of course, she was exercising her authority as given by the party constitution, which puts excessive power in the president.
The aggrieved party officials have been eagerly waiting for the Delegates Conference to revenge on Miria by voting against her son. Majority of these are now moving around with Otunnu in his upcountry tours.
As Otunnu tours different parts of the country, Akena and the other contenders, who had already toured the country, are also busy laying strategies to win the party’s topmost position, currently held by Miria Obote.
The whole of last week, Akena was reportedly training a group of trainers at Uganda House. An insider said they suspect the group is part of his campaign team he will use to canvass votes during the Delegates Conference.
Aware that Otunnu hails from Acholi, some politicians look at it as an extension of the traditional rivalry between the Acholi and the Langi.
Even the very 1985 coup that toppled Milton Obote was a result of a military conflict between the Acholi and the Langi. Otunnu has repeatedly denied any involvement in the coup.
Tony Akaki, the heir to Dr. Milton Obote, has already thrown a spanner into the wax by stopping Otunnu from visiting his father’s home (graveyard).
“At no time in his long life did my father ever desire to be associated with any political circus. Therefore, as a matter very personal to me and as part of my burden of responsibility that I gladly accepted, I have unequivocally decided that under these circumstances, Mr. Otunnu is not welcome,†Akaki said recently in a press statement. However, Miria said this was because the family was not informed and only learnt of Otunnu’s intention to visit from the press.
Going by the saying that “where there is smoke there is fireâ€, it is evident that the relations between Otunnu and Obote’s family are not smooth.
Can Otunnu, however, become UPC president without the blessing of the Obote family? Some UPC insiders have revealed that with or without the support and blessing of Obote’s family, Otunnu will win.
It appears the acrimony has reached a point of no return. This means that most likely, at the end of the current battles within the party, UPC will be left weaker and discredited than ever before.
“We have some people from Lango who think UPC should only, and only be ruled by the Langi.
Even these insensitive remarks from Tony Akaki that Otunnu is not welcome at Obote’s home in Akokoro could have been instigated by the same line of thinking, especially from the Oyima clan,†Erick Sakwa, a UPC research official, told The New Vision on Friday.
He also expressed dismay that in an ongoing youth training programme sponsored by Fredrick Ebert Foundation, the youth who are suspected to be supporting Olara Otunnu have been left out.
The one reason why Otunnu might overpower all ploys against him is because he has come with a reconciliation message not only between the Acholi and the Langi, but also between the north and south.
That is why on his arrival to Uganda, he sang Tukutendereza Yesu, the stanza of the East African Revival, an evangelistic movement that comprised transformational repentance, forgiveness and love messages.
Suppose Otunnu wins the UPC presidency and Norbert Mao wins the DP presidency (the two both hail from Acholi), it will be to the disadvantage of the opposition since it will divide their votes, especially in the north, the opposition stronghold.
And, if Otunnu succeeds in his campaign of bringing all the prodigal sons of UPC back to the party, what will be the fate of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)? In the previous elections, FDC won majority of its parliamentary seats in the UPC stronghold northern Ugandan. But, could this turn of events, the wrangles within UPC itself work in the favour FDC in those areas.
And what becomes of the coalition?
Who is the winner; who is the loser in all this circus?
Only time will tell.