UPC Akena faction ignores rivals, presses on with presidential bid

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The Jimmy Akena faction of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has vowed to continue with preparations for the 2026 general elections, despite a pending court case challenging his leadership.

Party spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon said that the party has started collecting signatures across the country to back Akena’s candidature.

“At the moment, party leaders and members nationwide are collecting signatures to support the candidature of our party president, Hon. Jimmy Akena. For those who wish to sign, forms are available at party headquarters and branch offices,” she said earlier today (on Wednesday) while addressing media at the UPC party headquarters in Kampala.

This comes days after a rival faction led by Joseph Ochieno petitioned court seeking Akena’s arrest for contempt of court by continuing to call himself party president despite an earlier ruling that nullified his election. In 2020, Court of Appeal nullified Jimmy Akena's election as UPC Party President, but he appealed in the Supreme Court and also lost in October 2023. It was against this background that Ochieno’s group filed a petition, accusing him of contempt of court.

Ochieno also demands that Akena is fined sh300m for calling himself party president whereas not.

Justice Joyce Kavuma, who is head of the High Court’s Civil Division, will rule on the matter on September 8.

Arach, however, said the party remains focused on its preparations. She confirmed that Akena will return his presidential nomination forms to the Electoral Commission in early September.

Electoral Commission speaks

Meanwhile, Electoral Commission (EC) has said the final decision on who the legitimate UPC candidate will be nominated for the presidential race next month lies with what court will have decided on the matter by September 23-24, which the nomination period. The EC spokesperson, spokesperson, Julius Mucunguzi, explained that since there is still an appeal in court, the matter will be settled after due legal process.

Meanwhile, UPC spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon said the party is actively mobilising support for Akena’s nomination, and she called on party members to rally behind him.

The UPC party has already concluded its primaries for parliamentary and local government flag bearers, with over 200 candidates confirmed to represent the party in the 2026 elections.