Will Walubiri secure  the troubled UPC ship?

The declaration made on December 17, a result of an election birthed by the nullification of Mr Jimmy Akena’s presidency, comes just a month before Ugandans go to the polls to choose their leader for the next five years, an opportunity the Independence-deliverer missed out on. 

This is just one of the results of the long standing internal battles that have ravaged the party for the last five years. The divisions in the party, with two factions and diverging loyalties, have also left the party playing only in the shadows of national politics. 

Mr Walubiri, who has been overseeing the party, is bracing to make another attempt at the enormous task that has eluded him in the past. 
Mr Akena has not been shy in avoiding the law, and getting away with it in broad daylight if it meant remaining at the helm of the party.

 He defied a court order staying the August 1 delegates’ conference that was held in Kasangati, Wakiso District, under the protection of the police. 

Three months after his presidency was nullified, Akena and his administration still occupy Uganda House, the head offices of the party, and have continued to conduct electoral process, with the Electoral Commission still recognising him as the party leader. 

The strength of the party, as reflected in the number of parliamentary candidates nominated, is also questionable. 
In a telephone interview with Sunday Monitor, Mr Walubiri sounded like he is aware of the enormous task ahead, having been at the centre of the fight. 

According to Mr Walubiri, it is time to move the party forward and this can only be achieved by bringing unity among leaders and members.  

“We are going to invite all party members to work together. We shall be reaching out to everybody who can listen and have the party at heart. There is so much work, we need everybody and there will be no retribution or trial, just come home and we work,” Mr Walubiri said. 

With much of its footing still remaining in historical references, Mr Walubiri says the party holds a strategic position in the political arena in the country, and it is time to reclaim it. 

“The president will embark on the giant task of mobilising and rebuilding the party. We have to work on unifying the membership and leadership of the party. Start working on rebuilding our structures, membership recruitment rights, increase our participation in national politics and get back at the centre of national politics because we had been pushed to the peripheral,” he adds.

“We can lead the country to a third liberation, we have done it before when we delivered the country to independence, when we defeated Idi Amin and we have to lead the country to defeat the current military dictatorship.”

The party, according to Mr Walubiri, is open to working with any serious Opposition candidate, ruling out the possibility of a UPC-NRM coalition. 

Mr Walubiri was officially declared the new party leader on December 17 by the party’s electoral commission chairperson, Mr Hamza Sewankambo, against three others, having garnered 278 votes of the 593 delegates from 98 districts.

Mr Joseph Ochieno Pinyitek came second with 271 votes, followed by Dr Dickson Opul with 34, and Dr Dan Okello who scored 10 votes. 

“Pursuant to article 13.2(5) of the constitution of Uganda Peoples Congress, Mr Peter Walubiri, the candidate with the highest numbers of signatures/votes totalling to 278(46.8), is hereby declared the elected party president of the Uganda Peoples Congress,” the statement read.  

The elections, according to the statement, were conducted on December 4 by the delegates’ conference that sat at the districts. This was due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation that does not allow for large gatherings. 

Mr Akena had taken over the presidency after defeating the late Joseph Bossa, in a highly contested election in 2015 that is said to have had many illegalities. This election birthed a protracted legal battle. 

Later that year, the High Court quashed the election of Mr Akena as UPC president.

Akena appealed against the High Court decision, and secured an order to stay execution of the High Court ruling from then Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma, until disposal of his appeal. 

Mr Akena remained president of UPC pending disposal of his appeal.

In a September 7 ruling, the Court of Appeal declared that Mr Akena had been holding the office illegally and ordered the party to conduct fresh elections to elect a new party head. 

The court also ruled that Mr Olara Otunnu as the de facto president, which nullifies Mr Akenas explanation for defying the court to remain in office. 

Mr Akena has argued that the ruling was overtaken by events since it was issued after the August 1 delegates’ conference, where he was elected for his second term. 

Even with this election, the party is not yet in the clear. Mr Ochieno, has yet to accept the outcome of the election and has written to the commission to avail him with all the statistics of how the districts voted. 

The former spokesperson of the Milton Obote government says he took part in the process because he had tried to bring together Mr Walubiri and Mr Akena. 

“The results do not reflect my figures, which are substantially higher than that. I do not have less than 51 per cent of the vote. I asked the EC, which I respect, to show me the districts in which I won and where I lost. Unless and until I receive the information I asked for, I am not able to comment further. I would like to challenge anyone to bring the results to show that Mr Walubiri won,” Mr Ochieno said.

He says Walubiri has done his part but failed to solve the party’s problems. 

“I am determined to bring the party together and many are looking for a new beginning… I returned to come and join my colleagues and start rebuilding the party. I am looking to persuade those who left the UPC to go and hide in NRA for their pockets or something,” Mr Ochieno said.