Oyam polls: Akena strains UPC, NRM party relations

Yesterday’s chaotic Oyam North by-election has exposed cracks in the “political marriage” between the opposition Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) faction led by Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

 It had been thought Mr Akena -- son of the party’s founding father and two-time Uganda president, Dr Apollo Milton Obote – would not complicate life for the ruling party.

 But Mr Fred Ebil Ebil, UPC Secretary General, told Daily Monitor on the eve of polling day that the mere fact that they did not front a presidential candidate in the 2016 general election did not confirm a deal with the NRM.

 “At the moment, UPC is a political party on its own, running its manifesto and NRM is also running its manifesto. We believe we are preparing for 2026 to fill in candidates in all positions, including the presidential candidate,” he said during e telephone interview.

 A year earlier, in 2015, as President Museveni campaigned for re-election in northern Uganda’s Lango sub-region — the last UPC stronghold countrywide – Mr Museveni told journalists at Baralegi State Lodge, Otuke District, that he was happy to work with Akena as opposed to the faction under Dr Olara Otunnu.

 Indeed, a year later, the Akena group angered the UPC establishment by agreeing to work with the NRM, given the ideological differences, animosity and mutual dislike between his late father and President Museveni.

 That controversy followed the appointment of Ms Betty Amongi (Oyam South MP and wife to Mr Akena) as minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

 Ms Amongi replaced another historical UPC, the noteworthy Mr Daniel Omara Atubo -- who had himself earlier jumped into bed with the NRM to become Lands minister. Mr Atubo was dropped after he lost his Otuke seat in Parliament.

 Although she never formally joined NRM, Ms Amongi is minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development today. Meanwhile, her husband kept many guessing as to his real intentions.

 Now, relations in what was derided by some older UPC apparatchiks as a personal marriage of convenience for the Akenas, have been tested by the Oyam North by-election. 

The ruling party endorsed Mr Samuel Engola Okello Junior as its flag bearer to replace his dead father, Col (rtd) Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo.  Col Engola was shot dead by Pte Wilson Sabiiti, his military bodyguard, at his home in Kyanja, Kampala on May 2.

 Ordinarily, the ruling party assumed that Akena would back the NRM candidate. Instead, he pitched camp here and has vuigorously campaigned for UPC flagbearer, Dr Eunice Apio Otuko -- a rather popular candidate who appeared to be within touching distance of victory if this was a truly free and fair election.

 Upset, some ruling party members questioned his participation, prompting Mr Akena to defend his presence.

 “I needed to point out very clearly to them that when I stood in 2006, the north regional vice chairman for NRM (Sam Engola) was a candidate [in Lira Municipality]. I stood against him and the chairman of NRM, who is the president of Uganda, campaigned for his candidate. I never complained,” Mr Akena said.

 “Some members of the ruling party are trying to portray themselves as saints on this issue by supporting a candidate who is from the family of the bereaved. I am here in Oyam campaigning for the UPC candidate…,” he explained.

Mr Akena also gave a cryptic indication of where he has set his political sights, observing that “… 2026 is loading. We are in the process of preparing for 2026 (the next national elections)”

 President Museveni has also been in Oyam North where he spoke at Tegony Primary School in Iceme Town Council on Tuesday. He said the slain minister joined NRM because he was clear-headed, worked for and was excited over the current prevailing peace in Oyam which suffered the brutality of the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency.

Days after Col Engola’s killing, President Museveni referred to how the colonel was key in uprooting the rebels from Oyam and across northern Uganda, hence the nickname Macodwogo, loosely translated from Luo as “fire is back”, for his role in restoring peace which made it possible for locals to again light fires and cook outside their houses.

In that context, the President argued: “When it comes to this unfortunate situation of getting a replacement, then you’re lucky to get one of the children who has been growing up near him. For me, I would go for that boy because I would say in my head, logically, maybe this boy learnt from his father”.

 There have been hot exchanges and quite some drama between NRM supporters and Akena’s UPC here.

 Congressman and Lango cultural institution premier, Mr George Opota, appeared at a ruling party rally on Tuesday where it was announced that

he had switched sides.

Four days ago, 35 people said to have been supporters of Engola Junior decamped and joined UPC.

On Sunday, July 2, Dr Tanga Odoi, the chairman of NRM elections body, told journalists in Oyam Town that Ms Amongi would soon switch sides.

 “All those who are pretending that they are in opposition, time is up to join the NRM party,” Mr Tanga Odoi said as he welcomed another former UPC member, Crispus Ayena Odongo to the NRM.

 “Anytime we are expecting the minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon Betty Amongi, my aunt, to actually throw away the red shade and join the magnificent yellow colour,” he said.

 Tellingly though, Ms Amongi did not show up at any of the two rallies in Tegony Primary School and at Otwal Primary School in Otwal Sub-county -- addressed by the President.

 There were four candidates in the Oyam North race, including Mr Newton Freddy Okello representing the Forum for Democratic Change and National Unity Platform’s Daniel Okello.