10 candidates vie for UPC presidency
Nov 16, 2009
OVER 10 people have submitted letters of intent to contest for the presidency of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC). The process for submitting the letters, which started last month, ended on Sunday.
By Moses Mulondo
OVER 10 people have submitted letters of intent to contest for the presidency of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
The process for submitting the letters, which started last month, ended on Sunday.
The candidates are former UN diplomat Olara Otunnu, Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena, Makerere University lecturer Henry Mayega, the UK UPC chairperson, Joseph Ochieno, and veteran teacher Sospater Akwenyu.
Others are former East African legislator and current party chairperson Yona Yakonyomozi, party treasurer Patrick Mwondah, former rebel leader Samuel Luwero, UK-based businessman Onen P. Ojwang and Dr. Dickson Opul. A source, however, disclosed that of the 10 applicants, only Akena and Ochieno had fulfilled all the requirements.
According to the secretary general’s statement entailing the guidelines for the candidates, each applicant was supposed to pay sh2m, submit a membership and voter’s card.
The requirement for a valid voter’s card might be used to disqualify candidates like Otunnu who does not possess one.
UPC is currently embroiled in internal squabbles that recently prompted four senior party officials to sue the party president, Miria Obote, for suspending them on October 5.
The officials were Peter Walubiri, who until June was the party secretary general, John Okello-Okello, Patrick Rubaihayo, the former national chairman, and the former vice-chairman, Chris Opio.
The grassroots elections that had been scheduled for October were postponed. Sources have also revealed that the party’s delegates’ conference, which was to be held at the end of this month, will be postponed to next year.
OVER 10 people have submitted letters of intent to contest for the presidency of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
The process for submitting the letters, which started last month, ended on Sunday.
The candidates are former UN diplomat Olara Otunnu, Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena, Makerere University lecturer Henry Mayega, the UK UPC chairperson, Joseph Ochieno, and veteran teacher Sospater Akwenyu.
Others are former East African legislator and current party chairperson Yona Yakonyomozi, party treasurer Patrick Mwondah, former rebel leader Samuel Luwero, UK-based businessman Onen P. Ojwang and Dr. Dickson Opul. A source, however, disclosed that of the 10 applicants, only Akena and Ochieno had fulfilled all the requirements.
According to the secretary general’s statement entailing the guidelines for the candidates, each applicant was supposed to pay sh2m, submit a membership and voter’s card.
The requirement for a valid voter’s card might be used to disqualify candidates like Otunnu who does not possess one.
UPC is currently embroiled in internal squabbles that recently prompted four senior party officials to sue the party president, Miria Obote, for suspending them on October 5.
The officials were Peter Walubiri, who until June was the party secretary general, John Okello-Okello, Patrick Rubaihayo, the former national chairman, and the former vice-chairman, Chris Opio.
The grassroots elections that had been scheduled for October were postponed. Sources have also revealed that the party’s delegates’ conference, which was to be held at the end of this month, will be postponed to next year.