Lira – 7 November 2020: Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party has no presidential candidate in the 2021 elections.
Some of the key reasons have been: a disagreement; leadership fight between Jimmy Akena group and Peter Waluburi’s faction and legal consequences following Court of Appeal ruling in September 2020.
Whereas Court of Appeal had given UPC party a chance to reorganise itself, by electing a new party president who would contest for national president, Akena’s group ‘opposed’ the Court judgment.
Mr Akena, who got a second term as party president on 1 August 2020 during a delegates conference, had earlier ruled out competing against president Yoweri T. Kaguta Museveni and other candidates for country’s top leadership.
On the other side, Peter Walubiri was sure UPC party under his leadership would front a presidential candidate in the general elections.
In achieving this, Dr Dickson Opul and Dr Dan Okello were some of the UPC known members interested in unseating incumbent president Museveni.
For example, Dr Opul ensured Ugandans know his plans and key sectors he intends to address once elected.
However, his preparations, leading to a nomination either on 2nd or 3rd November was made to slow down because UPC under Peter Walubiri made an announcement to, first: hold a delegates conference to elect a new party president.
A person elected president of the party automatically becomes a flag bearer for national presidential contest.
With no delegates conference convened, UPC having no presidential candidate in next elections, and yet a commitment was made by one ambitious aspirant, Peter Walubiri and his group have been asked to respond.
“They asked me to fill forms, submit 3 passport photos, academic papers and a payment of shs1.5m. I deposited cash shs1.2m. In addition I marketed myself and UPC countrywide. The rest was for the party to accomplish,” Dr Opul said via a WhatsApp chat.
Dr Opul says he did the above nearly two months ago. “I am not to be blamed, we had time,” he added.
Moving forward, he reveals: “I will offer myself to change seeking groups. Ugandans are suffering and I can’t postpone action. UPC will regret missed opportunity.”
He believes that people should be worried about the future of UPC “with these kind of decisions”.
“The question everybody is asking: What has UPC gained?”
“…if I get convincing explanation after very serious commitment I made, I will just ask for a refund. What does UPC gain? We had time and we wasted it,” he said, with emphasis.
What’s the UPC electoral commission saying, he asks, adding: “I am waiting for their official communication to me. I met all requirements including payment to Isaah Otto.”
UPC speaks
On Friday, UPC under Peter Walubiri issued a statement.
UGANDA PEOPLE’S CONGRESS
PRESS STATEMENT, 5TH NOVEMBER 2020
THE NOMINATION OF 3RD AND 4TH NOVEMBER 2020
The Party will not participate in the forth coming general elections at the presidential level, for the obvious reason that the Party has for the last five years been embroiled in a series of protracted civil litigations with the sole purpose of establishing a legitimate leadership of the Party.
The Party President has since appointed the Party Electoral Commission under the Chairmanship of Hamza Sewankambo and the Commission will be organizing the District Conferences and Delegates Conference in conformity with the order issued by the Court of Appeal.
The Party equally registers it’s displeasure with the manner in which the Uganda Police, the Military and the Local Defense Unit harassed the leader of the National Unity Platform, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi and the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, Hon. Patrick Oboi Amuriat.
The iron handedness demonstrated by the armed forces clearly indicated that democracy as a right and as a process is a doctrine that is totally strange to the body fabric of the National Resistance Movement.
Justice Byamukama ought to be reminded that he is presiding over democracy as a process, thereby his actions and inactions has a direct effect on determining the fairness or in unfairness of the electoral process.
Our advice and plea to the Independent Electoral Commission is that Justice Byamukama is part and partial of the pillars and custodians of the law, in that regard the conduct of the Independent Electoral Commission must reflect the spirit of the law.
To the members of UPC, let’s participate in the forth coming District Conferencecs and Delegates Conference so as to bring in place a leadership that is in conformity with the decision of court and the Party Constitution.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY
OMINO TOM,
ENVOY FOR COMMUNICATION AND MOBILIZATION.