Another storm is yet to further destabilize the Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC) party after several accusations mounting against the party president, Jimmy Akena for allegedly ‘ring fencing’ EALA party nominations in support of the incumbent, Chris Opoka.
Some members interested in the position have revealed that they learnt of a scheme hatched by Akena to ensure that the party only endorses Chris Opaka and then forwarded to Parliament of Uganda for the final vote.
“Following the advice of the party’s Secretary General, Edward Sseganyi, I have been campaigning amongst the cabinet members and regional Vice Chairpersons of the party who he believes will constitute the Electoral College to vote for a party nominee.”
Akena’s aide, Denis Enap who is an interested member in the position told ChimpReports that he has got reliable information that the party president Jimmy Akena is planning to block other interested members through ring fencing the position.
Enap noted that Akena has on several occasions openly expressed his interest for Chris Opoka on grounds that NRM people want him to be the candidate which is not true.
“The party president wants the cabinet to simply sieve the number of people who will be sent to the UPC Parliamentary committee to do the voting and nomination of the candidate of the party,” Enap said.
“According to the UPC Constitution, the party parliamentary committee has no powers to vote in nominating a candidate for EALA; all the power is vested in the party organ; the unfairness of the committee is that, UPC has 6 MPs in Parliament who all hail from the Lango tribe- Lango subregion.”
Enap observed that the party president should reconsider his move to allow a free and fair nomination exercise to avoid falling in line with the former party leadership.
“In circumstances that my call isn’t adhered to, I will be left with only two options of going to Court and standing as an independent candidate but UPC leaning which am sure I will beat Opoka hands down.”
Speaking to the party Secretary General over the planned move, Sseganyi noted that the party is yet to decide on the formation of the Electoral College but noted that he is not aware of any plans to ring fence the position.