Otunnu is UPC’s next president

Whereas Dr Otunnu is optimistically viewed as a threat to President Museveni’s political foothold in the 2011 general elections, his aptness for what promises to be a bruising contest according to political analysts might be impacted by the stature of Forum for Democratic Change president Col. (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye --- a leading opposition vote earner in various parts of the country.

Namboole/Kampala
Dr Olara Otunnu has been elected Uganda Peoples Congress president, wresting control of the party leadership from the family of former president Apollo Milton Obote in a landslide victory that brought the curtains down on its 50-year reign at the helm of Uganda’s second oldest party.

In official results declared by UPC electoral commission chairman Nelson Opono, at Mandela National Stadium at 3 a.m. the former UN under secretary general for children and armed conflict polled 623 votes with nearest rival Jimmy Akena, the son of Dr Obote, trailing in his wake at 180.

As counting ensued after a few minutes to midnight, congressmen had waited nervously at the venue which had been the scene of hostile exchanges between supporters of rival candidates earlier in the day amidst accusations and counter accusations of rigging allegedly intended to parachute Mr Akena, the Lira Municipality MP, into the party’s top position.

Conceding defeat
Mr Akena, like all other candidates, has conceded defeat and thanked those who have supported him all the way and promised to work with Dr Otunnu.

“I will fully support UPC and see that the congress takes the right place. I see this as an opportunity to work harder and take the struggle to the grassroots,” Mr Akena said.

Party faithful had held their breath in nervous anticipation of an Otunnu win. Those who could find time to speak maintained that it was not just about bringing an end to the Obotes era at the top of UPC politics, but more in the interest of getting a high profile flag bearer ahead of the 2011 general elections. Dr Otunnu now becomes a potential candidate of the Inter-Party Co-operation (IPC), a loose political coalition of four other opposition parties in the country seeking to present one opposition runner against President Museveni.

Whereas Dr Otunnu is optimistically viewed as a threat to President Museveni’s political foothold in the 2011 general elections, his aptness for what promises to be a bruising contest according to political analysts might be impacted by the stature of Forum for Democratic Change president Col. (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye --- a leading opposition vote earner in various parts of the country.

Dr Besigye has over the years come to terms with the adversity of competing with President Museveni in hotly contested races in the 2001 and 2006 elections.
Late afternoon yesterday Dr Otunnu had taken to the podium for a few minutes before voting, which began at 5pm, and told the assembled 1,020 Congress delegates that he would listen, pursue reconciliation, dialogue and work for unity of the party. He also promised to reach out to Buganda Kingdom in an effort seeking to cultivate a new political path and end historical angst between Mengo, the seat of Buganda, and the UPC which was created by the 1966 Lubiri attack by Obote regime that led to the 1966 crisis.

Others who were running against Dr Otunnu for the top UPC job include Mr Sospater Akwenyu who managed 15 votes; Dr Samuel Fredrick Luwero, 11; Joseph Ochieno, 9; Henry Mayega, 17; Dickson Opul 2 and Yona Kanyomozi, 35. There were four invalid votes. Not all the delegates cast their vote though with a total number of votes adding up to 892.

Dr Otunnu has replaced the embattled UPC president, Miria Kalule Obote, the widow of the late Milton Obote, whose leadership has been openly criticised by some party members on allegations that she was preparing the seat for her son Akena.

Controversial return
One of the controversial issues about Dr Otunnu’s return in August last year after an exile lasting over three decades was more on the claims that he had renounced his Ugandan citizenship in order to compete for the top job at the United Nations. This would have put out of contention as the law under which the multiparty political dispensation was returned to the country provides that Ugandan citizens form the body of any political organisation seeking to present candidates for public office. Inside the UPC, his harsher critics and opponents also sought to farther the allegation that Dr Otunnu, an Acholi, was part of the coup plotters who engineered the 1985 putsch that saw Dr Obote kicked out of power by his army.
Before the elections began, Dr Otunnu threatened to stand down in protest, citing an orchestrated plan to rig for Mr Akena, a claim Obote’s son described as a scapegoat.

Rigging claims
Our correspondents at Namboole yesterday talked of an election in a crisis, with presidential contenders and other congressmen trading claims of a conspiracy coordinated by the party’s electoral body to manipulate the result.

“We are suspicious of a secret plan to rig this election,” Dr Otunnu said, adding, “For instance, as I talk now there are three different lists of delegates being circulated around instead of having one list yet other delegates names are missing.”

Central to this claim was the report that multiple voters registers were circulating on which names of illegitimate delegates had been smuggled to facilitate the ballot tampering. It was only after this matter was resolved with one elections commissioner (Ms Margret Kirunda ) withdrawing from the process that Dr Otunnu agreed to be a part of the proceedings. Mama Miria congratulated Dr Otunnu and thanked the faithful for their support. She immediately handed over to Dr Otunnu after he was sworn in.