A splinter group superintended by former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president Ambassador Olara Otunnu is seeking to hold talks with the new leadership of Hon Jimmy Akena, a son to the party founder Dr. Milton Obote.
The Akena administration had been facing an internal implosion until Court pronounced that he is a substantive leader of UPC.
The faction rushed to Court to block Akena from attaining the seat having been elected by the delegates conference as a new president of UPC- a party that has been in government twice.
Otunnu and his men barred the new leadership from accessing funds in Orient bank to run the operations of the party.
Otunnu who last appeared at the UPC head offices in 2015 installed his deputy Joseph Bbosa as acting president. His (Otunnu) whereabouts are still a mystery.
Bbosa has been operating ‘underground’ to oust Akena regrettably his term of office expired.
A source at Uganda House told this news website that party members loyal to Otunnu who launched a severe attack on Akena are now seeking to hold talks so that they can be accommodated in the main stream party.
Part of this clique advocating for reconciliation are Milton Obote Foundation (MOF) staff. This foundation was initiated by late Obote to run the operations of the party financially.
There has been a contestation of whether it should be Akena in charge of funds or MOF.
Deputy UPC secretary general Fred Ebil confirmed that the Otunnu group is in talks and that the party has always had an open door policy where all members are urged to speak a language that binds them.
“In UPC we are optimistic that all members have a shared future. The administration of Akena has always been ready to talk to those who are opposing us. The only thing we can’t accept is to go against the values and principles of our party. And we don’t believe in condemning members of the party without giving them a fair hearing,” he said.
He rubbished talks peddled by Otunnu’s allies that most influential officials of UPC had crossed to NRM, “this talk that UPC members have crossed is a total lie. No one has crossed to NRM.” “Even those who are hiring their labour to NRM we tell them that they have a home.”
Otunnu before his disappearance alleged that Akena and his wife Betty Amongi were regime elements.
Ebil appealed to members who crossed long time ago to return to the people’s party.
“For example Dr Hon Ruhakana Rugunda who joined Museveni mid 70s, Minister Ephraim, Kamuntu, Abdu Katuntu , Elijah Okupa and their group in FDC. Norbert Mao who is in DP and all those ones we pray one day if they want to come back the door is open.”
Ebil said that the open day policy was Obote’s initiative who believed that politics is about numbers