By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The UPC President and Lira City East MP Micheal James Jimmy Akena Obote on Wednesday urged his supporters to cast their ballots among other presidential contenders but not Museveni whom he accused of masterminding his disqualification from the 2026 presidential race.
“Whoever wishes to vote for Akena, please don’t vote for Museveni; rather, vote for one of the other seven candidates,” Akena urged.
It should be recalled that the Electoral Commission (EC) declined nomination for presidency of three UPC members namely party president Jimmy Akena, Joseph Ochieno and Dennis Adim Enap, citing unresolved internal conflicts.
Some party members argued that Akena’s leadership term had expired and unlawfully extended without formal approval by the party’s organs thus invalidating him to contest for presidency on UPC ticket, and a court order was issued barring him from contesting for presidency as UPC flag bearer.
But, a visibly frustrated Akena on Wednesday told journalists at the party headquarters in Kampala that it’s President Museveni who ordered for his disqualification, and warned his supporters against campaigning, and or voting for him.
“I want to tell you, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is responsible for my disqualification, and I have been telling all members who support Akena that Museveni is responsible for my disqualification,” he said.
The son of former President and Uganda’s first Premiere- late Dr. Apollo Milton Obote, threatened to go for any party member suspected to be rubbing shoulders with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) nearly a month to polling day, January 15.
Akena who said he is still fighting to be on the ballot, urged his supporters to write his name on the ballot in case they don’t alternatively vote any of the seven candidates
“And if you don’t want any of them, write my name, Akena, on the ballot,” he said.
Important to note is that Akena’s wife, Hon. Betty Amongi is the minister under Museveni’s government where she serves as a cabinet minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development. Amongi is contesting against health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng (NRM) for Lira City Woman MP in the 2026 elections on UPC ticket.
Nevertheless, UPC has been accused of cohabiting with the NRM under alleged 2015 corporation agreement, and formalized in 2016 that saw two party strongholds namely Akena’s wife Betty Amongi and Dr Ruth Aceng appointed ministers after the 2016 elections. The pact which Akena signed was meant to pave the way for a peaceful transfer of power in 2021, a dream that ultimately never came true. But Akena insists that UPC and NRM are distinct parties with different goals, even as some members defect or align with NRM. Aceng has since crossed to NRM while Amongi remains on tenterhooks with the left leg in UPC as a member and the right leg in the government as a minister.
Political pundits have punched holes in Akena’s accusations against Museveni arguing that if he has evidence of his claims, he should order his wife to first resign from her position as the minister.
“First, can Mr Akena urge his wife to resign from the Cabinet since the person he is raising these allegations against is her boss? Why would he watch as she serves a ‘bad and malicious leader’?” said Farouk Kirunda, the Deputy Presidential Press Secretary in an interview with the Daily Monitor.
It remains unclear whether he (Akena) will convince or just instruct his wife to resign from her ministerial position and stop working closely with the Museveni.
