UPC to punish members for endorsing Museveni’s sole candidature
Oyam district NRM chairman (3rd R) reads the Lango region resolutions endorsing President Museveni as sole candidate as UPC and FDC party representatives (L) look on. (R) are Hon Sam Engola and Okello Engola. PPU PHOTO
What you need to know:
- The Member of Parliament for Erute South in Lira District, Mr Jonathan Odur, said the people who are purported to have endorsed President Museveni on behalf of Lango to fulfil their selfish gains should be publicly condemned.
OYAM. The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party has said it will discipline some of its members who recently endorsed President Museveni as the sole candidate for the 2021 presidential elections.
On May 16, leaders of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and UPC in Lango sub-region reportedly seconded a resolution, endorsing Mr Museveni as the sole candidate for the forthcoming elections.
When the President convened a meeting at Oyam Boma grounds for all the local leaders in Lango sub-region to deliver his message of wealth creation, the resolution to endorse him for 2021 was moved by NRM and seconded by FDC and UPC members.
Mr Ogwal Ojok, the NRM chairperson for Oyam District, read out a bi-partisan resolution, endorsing Mr Museveni as the sole candidate.
Mr Ojok was seconded by Mr Onac Okello, the Kwania District chairperson (UPC), Mr Brian Ogutu, the Oyam District councillor and FDC chairperson; Mr Celestine Ouma, the Oyam District councillor (UPC), and Mr Masor Bashir, the male councillor (UPC).
The UPC secretary general, Mr Fred Ebil Ebil, warned that the UPC leaders who endorsed Mr Museveni’s sole candidature in the 2021 elections would face disciplinary action. Mr Ebil Ebil said the UPC regional office will this week convene a meeting of district party chairpersons to discuss the matter.
“This is because those individuals do not hold any authority to make decisions on behalf of the country’s oldest political party rather than the UPC National Council,” he said yesterday.
“We are looking for evidence to pin those UPC members who were reported in the media to have endorsed Mr Museveni as sole candidate for 2021,” UPC secretary general added.
According to Mr Ebil Ebil, UPC has never endorsed any presidential candidate because the party is also preparing to front their candidate for the top most political seat.
“We are not supporting anybody who has shown interest to contest for presidential elections of 2021 apart from UPC candidate,” he said in an interview. “But if the Opposition political parties decide to form a coalition and front a single candidate for presidency, that position can only be determined by the National Council of UPC but not anybody else,” he added.
The Member of Parliament for Erute South in Lira District, Mr Jonathan Odur, said the people who are purported to have endorsed President Museveni on behalf of Lango to fulfil their selfish gains should be publicly condemned.
“Less than 1 per cent of Langi cannot claim to have endorsed [President] Museveni without making any consultations in all the constituencies. These are people who are money hungry who have just joined NRM and they are trying to show that they are more powerful than those who were in NRM before,” Mr Odur said.
