We won't field a presidential candidate in 2021 general elections, says UPC

The Uganda People's Congress will not field a presidential candidate in the 2021 polls, the party said.

It said it would concentrate on strengthening its hold on the grassroots and representation on local government councils and in Parliament.

ANOTHER TERM

Addressing a weekly press conference at Uganda House in Kampala, spokesperson Sharon Oyat Arach said party president Jimmy Akena would be defending his parliamentary seat in Lira City. On whether the party will be backing any other candidate, Arach said: "We are an independent political party with our own political programme."

The other players in the Opposition, including members of the party's faction opposed to Akena doubt the commitment of the administration to the cause of regime change.

They accused the administration of working closely with the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) with some of its key leaders, such as Oyam South MP Betty Amongi, who is Kampala minister.

In 2015, Akena agreed to work with President Yoweri Museveni. He said their cooperation was premised on achieving a smooth transition of power in 2021 to avoid problems that could land the country in chaos.

Akena was controversially elected on May 30, 2015 for a five-year term of office. But his leadership has faced opposition from a faction led by Peter Walubiri, the former party secretary-general, which has challenged his leadership in court.

The party's national delegates conference held at Kasangati Resort Hotel in Kasangati town council, Wakiso district, recently reelected Akena for a second term.

The conference was held in defiance of the court order that halted it, pending the disposal of an appeal challenging Akena's leadership as party president.

The three-member panel of Court of Appeal justices issued the orders after lawyers representing Walubiri's faction, led by Julius Galisonga, told court that failure to halt the conference would cause them irreparable damage. According to the party constitution, the president automatically qualifi es as the presidential flag-bearer.

PARTY PRIMARIES

Relatedly, the party communicated the postponement of the party primaries to pick candidates for local government council positions. "The party primaries for LC5 and district councillors that were earlier set for Friday have been rescheduled to September 5," Arach said.

The decision, according to Arach, was taken after the revised roadmap by the Electoral Commission shifted the nomination dates for candidates for local government council elections. They will now take place from September 21 to October 1.

The nominations were supposed to take place on September 7-20.

Arach said the primaries for city/division mayors and councillors will be held on September 3.

"The party has adjusted its road map to afford enough time to aspirants to campaign and get prepared for the primaries," the UPC spokesperson said. She assured members of free and fair primary elections.