Akena''s faction insists on hold NC meeting

By Jeff Andrew Lule                            

In a bid to revive party structures, the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party faction led by Jimmy Akena has insisted on holding a National Council meeting despite being accused of occupying the top seat illegally by the outgoing leadership of Dr. Olara Otunnu.

The meeting is scheduled to take place on August 11 and 12.

Akena told journalists at his office in Kampala that he was elected (by delegates) to the party’s helm legally and that he will continue his work without Otunnu and his group.

‘Heart of party’

Amid protracted internal battles between Akena and Otunnu, the UPC founding father’s (Apolo Milton Obote’s) son said they intend to set up a committee to reconcile all warring parties.

During the press conference, he stressed they want functional party organs and structures which can make decisions without any interference of the party president like it was under Dr. Olara Otunnu's leadership.

"We want to deliberate on various issues, with the main focus on strengthening the party organs and structures. These structures are the heart of the party because they are responsible for recruiting new members,’ he said.

He said they intend to move in different parts of the country, with the authority of the National Council, to mobilise party members, ensure smooth primaries and field candidates in all elective positions right from the Local Council I level.

The same meeting will also approve the appointed cabinet members, so that the party gets a fully constituted house, elect electoral commissioners appointed by the party president, approve the roadmap and guidelines for party primaries, adopt terms and preferences and elect seven members of the mediation reconciliation committee in accordance with delegates conference resolution and in line with the party's constitution.

Other issues include; passing the democratic alliance protocol and UPC's participation therein, approval of membership and subscription fee as per Articles 3.2(5), 3.5, 4.1 and 4.2 as part of party funds mobilization, and establishment of women and youth leagues.

Akena also appointed Edward Segayi – a National Council member from Mityana district – as the new party Secretary General, and Lawrence Okae, a delegate from Soroti, as the national party chairman.

Internal rift
 

Olara Otunnu's group insists Jimmy Akena is occupying the top seat illegally

The party ‘spokesperson’ Micheal Osinde said all appointed officials are subject to the National Council's approval.

Osinde said Otunnu's group continues to masquerade, mislead and deceive party members, claiming to be the legitimate leaders of the party which he said is wrong.

"They have even issued a roadmap to the 2016 general elections for the party primaries. We want to distance ourselves from their activities and ask the public to ignore them and wait for a genuine roadmap to be approved  by NC," he said.

On his part, Otunnu said the party has never held any delegates conference, stressing that Akena and his group violated the party’s constitution by taking over office by force.

"It is the party president to call a delegates' conference, which I have not done yet. What took place were just district conferences to elect aspirants to be elected at the delegates’ conference," added Otunnu.

Meanwhile, the party's mobilizing secretary, Isha Otto, said Akena contravened the constitution by holding an illegal delegate's conference and declaring himself the new party president.

Last month, Akena called for a consultative meeting at the Uganda Manufacturers Association Hall in Lugogo, which later endorsed and swore him in as the new party leader.

"Can you imagine such a violation? He even refused to respect the commission of inquiry that was instituted by the party president to investigate what happened during and after the exercise in the district conferences," Otto noted.

Otto said UPC's leadership has never changed and Otunnu is still the party leader who is yet to announce the delegates' conference.

"According to our constitution under Article 13 (2), it is only the party's president to call the delegates conference with a one month’s notice, agenda and place among others.”

He noted that everything Akena is doing is illegal.



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