By Mulengera Reporters
In a defiant mood, UPC President Jimmy Akena on Tuesday addressed reporters to dispute President Museveni’s claims the previous day at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to the effect that UPC and NRM were one and same. Detailed video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uznTvqkwDG8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3271y_NNkU&t=194s
Museveni claimed that the 14 votes the UPC Speakership candidate got were NRM’s too because of the existence of a blossoming political relationship between him and Akena, who he referred to as “my son.” Akena said even if such a political alliance existed, it would be subjugation if it resulted into UPC not being permitted to be free to field its own candidates for the different positions.
He thanked the UPC MPs who flanked him as he spoke on Tuesday, for standing firm and fielding their candidate against NRM’s Oboth-Oboth. Akena said it was unfair for Gen Museveni to block him from standing for President in January 2026 only to turn around claiming to be his ally in May of the same year. He said true allies don’t seek to politically strangle and suffocate those they claim to be in alliance with.
Akena said that, much as UPC is open to engaging with any political party in the country, it was erroneous for Gen YK Museveni to insist that the UPC candidate and the 14 votes she got at Kololo were his too.
Akena said that UPC is an independent political party which has a right to make its own autonomous decisions without seeking permission from NRM.
He stressed that the two are clearly distinct political entities, which is why they are registered separately at the EC with Kampala Road Plot 10-based Uganda House being the UPC headquarters and Plot 10 Kyadondo Road being NRM’s.
Akena said this clarification doesn’t mean that UPC isn’t open to engaging with Museveni’s National Resistance Movement or any other political party.
He said that they want structured things whereby parties cooperate transparently basing on well agreed upon principles. He said he isn’t prepared to accept capture by President Museveni if that is going to result into him not being permitted to articulate his principled policy disagreements with the NRM big man.
He made it clear that UPC will be having its own legislative agenda which its MPs will be popularizing in Parliament, contrary to the NRM priorities. He advised the President to become more deliberate about strengthening IPOD if he is indeed interested in credible dialogue with not only UPC but with all the other change-seeking parties.
Akena also spoke about the Speakership vote and welcomed the two new leaders Oboth-Oboth and Thomas Tayebwa who he said are his very good friends having served with them in the 11th Parliament.
He registered his optimism that things are going to get better in Parliament because Oboth-Oboth is much better than Anita Among under whose reign, Akena said a lot of corruption thrived.
Akena also indicated that the way he was treated late last year when he was blocked from being nominated for Presidency left him doubting whether Gen Museveni is his genuine ally the way he depicted himself as he addressed more than 500 MPs at Kololo during the Monday event. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
