A move by the Uganda People’s Congress President Olara Otunnu to fire his officials was unconstitutional, retired Maj. Edward Rurangaranga, has said.
On 12th December Otunnu sacked the secretary general John Odit and the secretary for publicity and national mobilization David Pulkol for allegedly working against him.
Quoting the party constitution, Rurangaranga says the Otuunu breached the provisions of Article 26 of the new constitution. It states that when the constitution comes into force, all persons holding offices under the previous constitution shall continue to hold office until new elections are held under it.
The party has been operating under the 1970 constitution which was also inherited by Otunnu. The UPC Annual delegates’ conference on November 22 2008 amended the constitution when it passed a new constitution for the party.
It was then gazetted on the 5th of December 2011. This means all officials elected by Otunnu will have to hold their seats until new elections are held under the new constitution.
Rurangaranga is now calling on Otunu to recognize, respect and defend the constitution instead of being persistently provocative and aggressive.
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The party Vice President Joseph Bbosa said he needed to comprehend the information before he could comment.
However Otuunu last week said he had consulted with all the party bodies and was acting within powers given to him by the constitution. He argues that as Party President he is given powers to appoint and fire officials.
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The only power given to the Party President to sack national officials is in Article 14.3 subsection 2 (b).
The Article gives power to the President to dismiss or replace any of the members nominated by him and approved by the next National council meeting following the replacement. However, the national council is yet to sit ever since the new constitution was gazetted.
Meanwhile the UPC youth have once again besieged the party headquarters. Led by Oluka Jimmy the youth say that after the party officials meeting with the Kampala Metropolitan Commander Andrew Kaweesi last week, Otunnu is yet to meet them as promised. Oluka states that all they hear are statements that youth are not known to the party members.
They have now resolved to stay at the party headquarters, keeping it under lock and key until the national council sits early next year.
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