Akena yet do decide on TDA
KAMPALA.
The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party faction led by Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena has indicated it has not yet made up its mind to join The Democratic Alliance (TDA).
Addressing journalists at their weekly press conference on Tuesday, the party spokesperson, Mr Michael Osinde, said his team is not bound by the decision made by outgoing UPC leader Olara Otunnu to join the Alliance as per now.
“The National Council has the mandate to decide for the party and not individuals. Among the issues that will be raised in the National council meeting scheduled for August 11 to 12, it will pronounce itself on UPC membership in TDA” Mr Osinde said.
Opposition party leaders and the civil society in June agreed in principle to form a democratic alliance to field a joint candidate ahead of 2016 polls.
Since May 30, UPC has been split into two factions; one led by Mr Otunnu and the other by Mr Akena.
Mr Akena in July called a meeting which he disguised as a consultative convention which was later transformed into the party delegates’ conference that endorsed and saw him sworn in as party president.
Mr Akena now accuses Mr Otunnu of attempting to commit the party without consulting its organs
However, the spokesperson for the Otunnu faction, Mr Okello Lucima, said Mr Akena can’t take any decisions on behalf of the party because he is not the elected president. He added that the issue of TDA was on the agenda of the National Council which Mr Akena hijacked and didn’t take part in.
