UPC officials opposed to the leadership of Olara Otunnu are demanding for an urgent meeting to discuss the convening of the Delegates conference. Jimmy Akena, Lira Municipality Member of parliament says that they need to resolve the party leadership crisis which has dragged on for long.
On Wednesday this week, former UPC Presidential candidates, Akena, Yona Kanyomozi, Dr. David Dickson Opul, Luwero Fred and Sospater Akwenyu stormed UPC seeking a meeting with Otunnu to discuss when to hold a delegates conference. The official claim that they met David Nyote, the Press secretary to Otunnu, who told them his boss, was not in office.
Now, the officials say that they will return to the office on Monday to share their views with Otunnu.
Akena says there is loss of confidence in the leadership of Otunnu which is manifesting itself in different ways.
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The faction members accuse Otunnu’s leadership of failing to re-unite Buganda and the party, one of the promises he made while taking over the leadership of the party. Otunnu has allegedly failed to set up youth and women leagues, hold national grassroots elections to expand the party and his failure to provide proper direction after the 2011 general elections.
The party officials were also angered by Otunnu’s decision to reshuffle top party officials including the now hospitalized former secretary General John Odit, chief party mobiliser David Pulkol and national chairman Maj. Edward Rurangaranga. Akena appeals to all UPC delegates who have the same ideological views as Otunnu to convince him to hold a delegates conference as soon as possible.
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However, Father Jacinto Ogwal, UPC secretary general says he is not aware of the groups visit to Uganda house on Wednesday. Ogwal says a delegate’s conference will only be held within the confines of the party constitution. Article 13 states that the party President shall call the delegate’s conference by giving one months notice in writing. He can also call an extra ordinary delegates conference as he deems necessary by giving seven days notice of such a meeting.
The constitution also gives the party President powers to call a special delegates conference when petitioned by half of all the members of the delegates conference who shall state precisely in the petition matters to be discussed and the resolutions if any to be tabled.
This week Rurangaranga and Pulkol also went to Uganda house for the first time since they were fired. Rurangaranga says they had gone to ascertain the delivery of the new furniture that was bought with the 104 million shillings which Otunnu claimed they had stolen.
He dismissed reports that they had gone to reconcile with the Otunnu leadership saying it would be betrayal of those who support him.
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UPC Vice President Joseph Bossa says the officials are welcome to visit the party offices and the party doors are open if they were to decide to return. He however disagrees with the former party Presidential candidates to ambush the party President demanding for a meeting without getting an appointment.
