By KT Reporter
Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) presidential aspirant, Jimmy Akena, has expressed disappointment in the outcome of the Electoral Commission’s decision to bar the party from fielding a candidate in the 2026 general election.
Akena briefly spoke to Uganda Radio Network (URN) at the Electoral Commission (EC) offices on Monday, where he said that he had come to check on the status and time for his nomination.
His presence at the EC premises followed a meeting on Sunday between EC officials and key UPC figures, among them Akena, Denis Enap Adim, Joseph Pinytek Ochieno, and Peter Walubiri Mukidi. The meeting had been called to clarify who the commission could legally recognise as UPC’s presidential flag bearer.
“We discussed issues, but the Electoral Commission knows who has been working with them, who has been the candidate…I am standing here…I have got MPs, I am an MP on the UPC ticket. I have already nominated thousands of local councillors, and now my status here on the eve of nomination, I am left hanging,” said a fairly frustrated Akena.
He insisted that he was hoping to be nominated on the scheduled days of nomination that open on Tuesday, 23rd September, and close on the following day.
“I have fulfilled all the obligations, and the National Constitution guarantees me the right to contest against the 7th-term president. So what do we honour? The National Constitution or house rules. We are going to contest for the presidency of the Republic of Uganda…it works according to the national Constitution, so use the National Constitution to bar me, otherwise I hope to be nominated and start my campaign,” Akena added before riding away.
On Monday, the EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, said that neither Akena nor Denis Enap Adim qualifies as the party’s candidate. He advised UPC to respect its constitution and comply with the standing court rulings that govern the party’s leadership.
The commission explained that a High Court decision, Misc. Cause No. 148 of 2025 had already ruled that Akena served the maximum two terms allowed under the UPC constitution and that the judgment, which nullified his nomination, has not been overturned and therefore remains binding.
The EC also faulted the party’s Virtual Extraordinary Delegates’ Conference, which had controversially extended Akena’s presidency, saying it violated Articles 25(2) and (3) of the party constitution because a court had previously issued an interim order blocking such a meeting.
Further scrutiny revealed that Akena’s nomination for the 2025-2030 term was illegal and void, while Enap Adim’s nomination did not meet the requirements of Article 13(5) of the UPC constitution. Peter Mukidi Walubiri was not considered because he had not participated in the nomination process for party president.
The leadership battle has been simmering for months. In May, Denis Enap Adim challenged Akena’s nomination in court, and the court agreed, ruling that Akena’s extension of office was unlawful. The EC stressed that the entire process also fell short of Section 10 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act, which governs internal party leadership changes.
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