Rurangaranga sets terms for UPC talks

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Former UPC national chairman says he will only set the party free if the leadership commits to peace talks

Kampala.

Former Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party national chairman Edward Rurangaranga has said he is not ready to withdraw a court injunction put on party activities.

Maj Rurangaranga told the Daily Monitor he would only consider withdrawing the injunction when the party president Olara Otunnu and his allies commit to meaningful talks after defying the court order issued in December last year.

“Unless they are committed to their promises we are not buying into their idea. After all Mr Otunnu’s time in office is about to end,” Maj Rurangaranga said.

His remarks came after UPC vice president Joseph Bbosa asked Maj Rurangaranga’s group to withdraw the court injunction to set in motion processes for electing new party leadership ahead of 2016.

Mr Bbosa told journalists at the party headquarters in Kampala on Tuesday that since the court order was issued all party activities were halted.

“Party members who want change in the party leadership should endeavour to overturn the court order so that we can complete the grassroots elections and a delegates’ conference is held to elect new party leadership,” Mr Bbosa said.

Mr Bbosa added that until new elections are held, office holders elected under the old Constitution of 1970 will continue to hold office.

Maj Rurangaranga accused the party chairman, Mr Otunnu, of running the party without functioning organs such as the National Council and the delegates’ conference.

Mr Jimmy Akena, who was Mr Otunnu’s major rival in the race for UPC presidency in 2010, said: “The national council which is supposed to approve the programmes for grassroots elections and the delegates conference have not met since April 2011.”

Without that, Mr Akena said, UPC is operating like an organisation and not a political party.

Genesis of the fallout in upc leadership
In 2012, a faction allied to Mr Otunnu blocked some senior party members from accessing party offices at Uganda House allegedly acting on orders of the party president.

The six members were led by Maj Edward Rurangaranga, (L) who had come to attend the party’s press conference.

The move was after Mr Rurangaranga announced to hold a delegates conference to discuss issues affecting the party and also “to create a new beginning for the party regardless of Mr Otunnu’s absence”.