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UPC leaders abandon Otunnu, endorse Museveni for life presidency
UPC supporters including party leaders pose with NRM yellow T-shirts after announcing support for President Yoweri Museveni at Baramindyang on-Tuesday. Photo by BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
Currently, Kole has two Members of Parliament who are on UPC ticket including District Woman Ms Ruth Acan and directly elected, Mr Fred Ebil Ebil
A section of supporters and leaders of the Uganda People’s Congress in Kole District, have abandoned their party leader, Dr Olara Otunnu and endorsed Mr Yoweri Museveni for 2016 general elections.
They endorsed president Museveni for life presidency, claiming that Dr Otunnu lacks the required capacity and vision to carry the mantle for the people of Uganda.
This was during a consultative meeting organised by the Ambassador to Washington DC, Mr Dickson Ogwang Okul at Baramindyang in Ayer Sub-county on Tuesday.
“We are not going to base our support on partisan politics, we want leaders who can lead the people of Uganda and this time around, we don’t see any one, apart from Mr Museveni. He should rule until he dies,” said Aboke Sub-county LCIII Chairperson, Mr Boniface Odyek.
Mr Odyek, contested on the UPC ticket in 2011 general election which saw him get a landslide win as LC 3 chairperson.
Ayer Sub-county LC3 chairperson, Mr Patrick Otim, said they have lost trust in Dr Otunnu, because he brought shame in the last elections when he boycotted the elections.
“In 2011, we voted for him but he (Dr Otunnu) did not even vote for himself,” Mr Otim, who is also the chairperson of all the six chairpersons in Kole district said.
“Does it really make sense to vote for a candidate who himself is not ready to vote? I don’t want such a situation to repeat itself. We want to vote for people who have the vision, people who are ready to carry the mantle for the people of Uganda,”Mr Otim further said.
Mr Adaraman Olot, a member of Kole UPC district executive, said Mr Museveni has already planned ahead for the country, and bringing in a new leader would sabotage the dreams for the country.
UPC youth leader for Akalo Sub-county, Mr Sam Orec, said come 2016, there is going to be a big change “As people of Kole, we want to see NRM representation from LC1 to Parliament, “We want to vote someone who can directly take our views to the head of state.”
Currently, Kole has two Members of Parliament who are on UPC ticket including District Woman Ms Ruth Acan and directly elected, Mr Fred Ebil Ebil. The district chairman Mr Peter Ocen is also a UPC member. In 2011 general elections, Mr Museveni managed to fetch 62.8 percent votes in Kole district.
