UPC group sues Akena as internal fights rock party
James Akena
What you need to know:
- He was later reinstated, on appeal, by a 2016 temporary order by then the Court of Appeal Justice Stephen Kavuma pending disposal of the main appeal. The appeal is still pending in the court.
Mr James Akena’s time at the helm of Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has been dogged by court battles, and nearly a month into his second term, he has been slapped with another suit.
A section of UPC members allied to the Prof Edward Kakonge group are seeking to end his presidency, accusing him and the party’s electoral commission of contempt of court by convening a delegates conference where Mr Akena was elected president.
The application filed in the Court of Appeal on August 11 contends that the UPC delegates conference held on August 1 offends the court order issued on July 29.
The order followed complaints from the Kakonge faction and the pending disposal of an appeal filed in 2016.
Justices Elizabeth Musoke, Christopher Izama Madrama and Irene Mulyagonja stopped Mr Akena from holding the delegates conference.
Mr Akena was also barred from accessing and using party finances.
According to the application, although Mr Akena was present and consented to the order, he on August 1 convened a delegates conference in Wakiso and was elected unopposed under the watch of police.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Akena scoffed at those he termed as detractors for trying to sabotage party operations saying he will not be deterred.
The petitioner also wants all activities and decisions made by Mr Akena since the conference be declared null and void.
Ms Sharon Oyat Arach, the spokesperson of the Akena-led faction, said she was not aware of the petition.
Asked about operating illegally, Ms Arach responded: “We are at Uganda House, aren’t we?”
Background
Mr Akena’s court battles date back to when he was first elected party president in 2015.
The then chairperson of the party, the late Joseph Bbosa, petitioned court challenging Akena’s victory and High Court judge Yasin Nyanzi cancelled the election.
He was later reinstated, on appeal, by a 2016 temporary order by then the Court of Appeal Justice Stephen Kavuma pending disposal of the main appeal. The appeal is still pending in the court.
