Politics
UPC organize primaries as Akena defies Court of Appeal ruling
Akena with his mother Miria Kalule after he was sworn in as UPC president
The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has confirmed its disrespect of lawful authority, by going ahead with plans to hold primaries for different positions of leadership. party elections of the Court of Appeal.
On Monday last week a panel of justices of the Court of Appeal ruled that Jimmy Akena’s presidency was unconstitutional and ordered for fresh elections of the party leadership.
“The members of Uganda People’s Congress should conduct nominations and elect a president in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution of Uganda,” ruled justice Irene Mulyagonja, one of the 3 justices on the panel.
Others on the panel of justices who also ruled against Akena’s leadership are; Justice Christopher Izama Madrama and Justice Elizabeth Musoke.
In what appeared as a dramatic response to the Court, Jimmy Akena during the press conference on Tuesday last week said:
“The period in question is between 2015 and 2020 therefore we are going on with our party activities as usual as our lawyers study the situation before we respond,l” he said.
Addressing the press at the party headquarters on Wednesday September 16, Sharon Oyat Arach, the UPC spokesperson said that they shall hold the party primaries for Members of Parliament aspirants on September 26.
“We urge our party members to give full support to Party flag bearers during nominations, campaigns and elections. Party nominations for MPs were closed on September 11, pending party primaries slated for September 26, 2020,” Arach said.
Arach further noted that this has been done following the confirmation of nominations dates of candidates for Local Government elections by the Electoral Commission beginning from September 21 to October 1, 2020.
“We underline the need to conduct these primaries in the most transparent manner and exhibit high discipline in all levels of the elections thus hold peaceful, fair and democratic elections,” she noted.
She said that the party was still studying the response and would respond soon after their legal team finishes.
On August 1, during the party’s delegates conference that was held in Kasangati, Akena was re-elected as the President, where he won 86 out of the 106 districts that voted.
On the 2021 presidential bid, Akena confirmed that he was not going to contest for the presidency in the 2021 general elections something that angered some of the party members.
“I will not build a Castle in Heaven,” he confirmed having low support countrywide.
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