KAMPALA – The president of Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party, Mr Jimmy Akena, has said he has faced a lot of resistance from sections of the party faithful because he stopped them from grabbing party assets, including the iconic Uganda House located at the heart of Kampala city.
Addressing UPC members in Lira Town on Tuesday, Mr Akena, who is also the Lira Municipality MP, said the resistance against his leadership is based on his tough stance in guarding UPC assets.
Mr Akena said a section of people at Milton Obote Foundation (MOF) have persistently fought his leadership because they have sinister motives on UPC assets especially Uganda House.
This is not the first time that Mr Akena is alleging that MOF is opposed to his presidency and as it can be recalled the matter also ended up in court.
On Tuesday, he alleged that some members of Milton Obote Foundation want to connive to mortgage Uganda House and vowed to use his last sweat to defend the assets of Uganda people’s congress party.
Milton Obote Foundation is the custodian of UPC assets and by default it has the mandate of financing UPC activities but according to Mr Akena, MOF has deliberately refused to offer him financial support with intentions to frustrate party activities.
Mr Akena also accused his predecessor, Dr.Olara Otunu, of messing up the internal leadership and failing to protect the assets of UPC party.
He also said the party is on the correct path in galvanizing support and setting up structures ahead of the 2021 elections.
The wrangles and disagreements between the factions came to a head on May 30, 2015 when a faction allied to Akena forcibly entered the party headquarters at Uganda House in Kampala and reportedly forced the party electoral commission to declare Mr Akena the winner of the district conference polls.
In July 2015, Akena’s faction held consultative delegates meeting at UMA Show Grounds in Lugogo, where the late UPC Electoral Chairman Mr Edward Ssegane announced Akena as the new president. Despite the allegations that Akena hijacked the electoral process, out of the 110 districts that participated in elections, Akena managed to win in 67 districts beating off competition from other contestants like David Pulkol and Edward Kakonge.
Since then Akena’s faction occupied the party headquarters and they are operating as UPC party leaders.
