Pulkol concedes defeat in UPC party elections, Bossa protests
The sole contender of the UPC presidency, Mr Jimmy Akena (R), and party members David Pulkol (C) and Fred Ebil address a press conference in Kampala recently. PHOTO BY GEOFFREY SSERUYANGE
What you need to know:
Aftermath. The complaint says the process of electing Mr Jimmy Akena as the party president was flawed.
Kampala. Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) vice president Joseph Bbosa has protested the declaration of Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena as the 2016 presidential election sole candidate to be approved by the party’s delegates’ conference.
However, Mr David Pulkol, the other top contender for the UPC top seat, conceded defeat.
On Monday, the UPC electoral commission announced that Mr Akena, son of the party founding president Apolo Milton Obote, secured majority votes of endorsement from district delegates for the top position.
Party EC chairman John Buzu said Mr Akena had been endorsed by 67 districts, Mr Pulkol by 12, while Bossa only 11 districts.
However, Mr Bossa said in a telephone interview yesterday that the process was flawed and the party EC considered only 66 districts out of the 112 in the country.
Petition
Mr Bossa said he and party national chairman Edward Kakonge had petitioned the party electoral commission over regularities in the electoral process. He claimed that in some districts such as Kanungu, Mayuge and Kabale, members complained about malpractices.
“Mr Akena and his gang stormed the room at Uganda House (party headquarters) and occupied the electoral commission. They did not allow any person to leave until they drafted a document which they made the commission to sign, declaring Mr Akena a winner,” Mr Bossa said.
Asked if he will remain UPC vice president, Mr Bossa said he would “just watch the situation and see how Mr Akena will run the party.”
On his part, Mr Pulkol said he was not present when Mr Akena was declared a victor but that he heard that the Lira Municipality MP got more district endorsements than other contestants.
“I have talked to Mr Akena on how to move the party forward and we deal with the challenges which existed for the past five years of Mr Olara Otunnu’s leadership,” Mr Pulkol said.
“What is important now is that the results made Mr Akena a lead contender before the national council and the delegates’ conference which will make the final decision,” Mr Pulkol added.
According to the terms set by the party electoral commission, each candidate was required to have one third of districts for their names to be forwarded to the delegates’ conference which convenes on June 12.
Mr Akena applied on May 12 to be given special consideration, having missed the April 17 deadline for picking nomination forms. He is now set to replace Dr Olara Otunnu.
UPC historical advises Akena
The founding UPC chairman for Kabale District, Mr Paul Karekyera (pictured), has asked the sole contender for UPC presidency, Mr Jimmy Akena, to emulate the good leadership styles of his late father Milton Obote to strengthen the party.
“My appeal is that Mr Akena should emulate the leadership styles of his late father and founder of UPC to strengthen our party and also carry out vigorous mobilisation so that UPC emerges the winner of the 2016 general elections,” Mr Karekyera told journalists in Kabale Town yesterday.
Mr Karekyera, who is also the executive member of the Milton Obote Foundation, added that Mr Akena should trace Obote’s friends in foreign countries for possible funding of party activities.
He also asked the local members in Uganda to sacrifice and make donations to boost the party mobilisation strategies.
Mr Karekyera asked those who lost to Mr Akena to join him and work for harmony and development. He added that losers and winners must work together for grassroots mobilisation and attracting the youth to join the party.
By Robert Muhereza
