Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party president Jimmy Akena has accused President Museveni of being responsible for his disqualification from the 2026 presidential race.
The Electoral Commission (EC) disqualified Mr Akena, along with Mr Joseph Ochieno and Mr Dennis Adim Enap, from contesting for the presidential nomination under the UPC ticket, citing their ineligibility to hold a valid UPC party card as required by the party’s constitution.
EC’s decision stemmed from UPC’s internal wrangles, with Mr Akena’s leadership term having expired without formal extension by the party’s organs. While addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr Akena accused President Museveni of being the mastermind of his disqualification.
He urged his supporters to alternatively vote among other presidential contenders but not Museveni.
‘I want to tell you, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is responsible for my disqualification, and I have been telling all members who support Akena that Museveni is responsible for my disqualification. Whoever wishes to vote for Akena, please don’t vote for Museveni; rather, vote for one of the other seven candidates. And if you don’t want any of them, write my name, Akena, on the ballot,’ said Mr Akena.
Mr Akena also condemned the violence against the National Unity Platform presidential candidate and his supporters, emphasising the need for peaceful elections. ‘Let’s have an honest conversation; if you have the best ideas for Ugandans, please present them. The people of Uganda are wise; they should be able to see which is a good idea and which is not. If they don’t vote for you, sit down and revise, let’s have an honest conversation because that’s what an election is all about,’ he said.
But Mr Faruk Kirunda, the deputy presidential press secretary, challenged Mr Akena to urge his wife, also the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Betty Amongi, to resign from President Museveni’s Cabinet if he truly believed the President was involved in his disqualification. ‘First, can Mr Akena urge his wife to resign from the Cabinet since the person he is raising these allegations against is her boss? Why would he watch as she serves a ‘bad and malicious leader’?’Mr Kirunda questioned.
Mr Kirunda also demanded evidence to support Mr Akena’s claims, asking if he had raised the issue with IPOD, the forum promoting inter-party dialogue.
‘Can he provide evidence to back the allegations? Has he raised them with IPOD where he is a member?’ he asked.
He attributed Mr Akena’s problems to internal UPC conflicts, citing court decisions against him. ‘According to what has been happening, and I think the public has been following, Mr Akena’s problems originated within UPC. They had wrangles, and the courts decided. Is President Museveni in court?’ Mr Kirunda asked.
Mr Kirunda added that Mr Akena isn’t a significant threat to Museveni’s presidency, pointing out that other candidates went through the process unscathed.
He urged Akena to address UPC’s internal issues and consider trying again in the next electoral cycle. In October, President Museveni downplayed Mr Akena’s allegations of his interference in his disqualification from the presidential race, saying he wasn’t even aware of Mr Akena’s candidacy.