By Obed K Katureebe
The contested Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President General, Hon. Jimmy Akena, has embarked on a campaign of blaming President Yoweri Museveni for his recent political misfortunes. Akena missed the nomination deadline to stand as a presidential candidate for the 2025/26 elections due to a court ruling questioning his legitimacy as UPC party president. This ruling followed a petition filed by senior UPC officials, Joseph Othieno and Dennis Enap, who challenged his continued stay in office beyond the constitutionally mandated two five-year terms.
Strangely, after this internal party dispute, Hon. Akena has resorted to accusing President Museveni of frustrating his presidential ambitions and undermining Uganda’s oldest political party. In what many observers consider exaggerated claims, he has publicly urged voters in the Lango Sub-region to reject President Museveni in the upcoming January 15, 2026, elections.
In a communication dated September 22, the Electoral Commission (EC) clarified that Akena’s term as UPC President had expired on August 1, 2025, and therefore, he lacked the mandate to stand as the party’s flagbearer. Akena’s troubles were engineered by his own party colleagues, who sought to prevent his attempts to amend the party constitution and secure a third term. To them, Akena is running UPC as though it were his father’s personal estate.
Speaking in Lira City during a homecoming event arranged by some loyalists, Akena accused the government of interfering with institutions to weaken UPC’s influence. These comments followed the EC’s decision to disqualify him and other UPC leaders from taking part in the presidential elections. Addressing supporters for the first time since the ruling, Akena insisted that his struggle is far from over.
“Today, I decided to start with a gospel song, and the message is that my tomorrow must be greater than today. Whatever they do to me, whatever they say, I am moving ahead for a better tomorrow,” Akena said. He then knelt during the national anthem in protest, urging UPC supporters to emulate the gesture as a symbol of resistance. He further claimed that he alone held the “MasterCard” capable of denying President Museveni the 50+1 victory required for an outright win.
First and foremost, Akena does not own the mind and soul of the people of Lango. He seems trapped in the shadow of his late father’s near-cult-like status during his years as President of Uganda. Hon. Akena has failed to recognize that his father’s generation is long gone. Today’s voters rely on their own judgment, and they know too well what President Museveni has done for the Lango Sub-region. This is demonstrated by the overwhelming NRM victory in the 2021 general elections, where the party secured over 70% of the vote. It is therefore unlikely that Lango will be swayed by Akena’s misleading rhetoric.
Akena’s blame game amounts to pure escapism. No sensible Ugandan can accept such excuses. What Akena owes his party and the nation is an apologyfirst, for violating the UPC constitution, and second, for causing the internal turmoil that left the party without a presidential candidate in the 2025 general elections.
To salvage his image, Akena and his legal team have now filed a petition challenging the Electoral Commission’s decision in hopes of being reinstated as the legitimate party president and included on the ballot paper. How this will be achieved remains uncertain, given that reports indicate presidential ballot papers are already being printed.
Like many leaders on the continent, Hon. Akena seems to have an inflated perception of himself, and the arrogance that accompanies it appears to have consumed him. He imagines that things must always bend to his will. His attempts to run UPC as his personal enterprise lie at the heart of the party’s current crisis.
Leaders of his generation must demonstrate discipline and integrity, as they serve as role models for many who look up to them. Yet Akena insists that the government orchestrated his downfall because of his “oppositionism.”
Though Akena is undeniably a prominent son of Lango, he must work on his attitude and behavioural competencies. These qualities have been the downfall of many public figures, and Akena appears no exception. Whatever direction this episode takes, Akenaand others who think like himshould draw important lessons.
Hon. Jimmy Akena should simply eat the humble pie and accept his fate. Making a mistake is human, but insisting on that mistake becomes a grave offense. We all err, but we must learn to take responsibility and, where necessary, offer a sincere apology. Akena, this is one of those moments where one cannot wriggle out through blame or theatrics.
The writer is the Acting Executive Director, Uganda Media Centre
