Apac, Uganda: The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) leadership came under fire from top religious figures in the Lango sub-region on Friday after the party turned what was meant to be a solemn memorial for its founder, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote, into a political battlefield of internal bickering and power struggles.
During the 20th memorial service held at Obote’s ancestral home in Abeibuti Cell, Akokoro Town Council, retired bishops Rt. Rev. John Charles Odur Kami of Lango Diocese and Rt. Rev. Alfred Acur Okodi of West Lango Diocese issued a scathing rebuke to the party’s leadership, warning that disunity was tearing apart Obote’s legacy.
“A house divided cannot stand,” Rev. Okodi told a visibly tense audience. “Where there is no peace in the party, in the home, or in the Kingdom, there will be no peace at all.”
The bishops cautioned the UPC against “using the pulpit to sanitize political confusion,” stressing that the memorial had been hijacked for factional battles instead of reflecting on the late Obote’s vision for national unity.
Bishop Odur Kami accused the party of “playing dangerous political games” and warned that the church would not stand by as sacred gatherings were turned into campaign platforms. “We were invited to honor a legacy. What we saw was a party in crisis. The church will not be used to bless confusion,” he said.
Bishop Okodi urged party members to seek reconciliation and return to the founding principles of unity, vision, and integrity. “UPC must remember its roots. It was once a party of vision. If you lose that, you lose everything,” he added.
UPC leaders demand clarity ahead of 2026 elections
At the same function, several UPC leaders from Lango openly expressed frustration over the vacuum at the top of the party, demanding a clear direction on who the party will front or support in the 2026 presidential race.
Mr. Adea Nelson, the UPC flag bearer for Oyam District, said the party’s silence on a presidential candidate risks alienating its base. “Our president has not declared intentions for 2026, and we don’t have a flag bearer. Our supporters are watching and waiting,” he said.
Bob Okae, MP for Kwania North County, echoed the concern, calling for immediate leadership guidance. “The party cannot afford to head into an election without a presidential candidate or direction on whom to support. People on the ground are confused,” Okae warned.
Fred Ojara, UPC flag bearer for Ajuri County in Alebtong District, added that the leadership crisis was weakening the party’s standing in Lango. “Right now, UPC is vacant at the presidential level. We are stranded. If no action is taken, we risk losing our base,” he said.
Akena affirms ‘War for 2026 is on’
In what appeared to be a calculated response to growing dissent, UPC President Jimmy Michael Akena dismissed calls for an immediate candidate announcement, instead vowing to embark on a nationwide mass recruitment drive to rebuild the party’s grassroots support.
“The war to have my name on the ballot in 2026 is on,” Akena declared defiantly. “Let’s stay focused. We are not stepping back.”
His remarks, however, did little to calm tensions, as murmurs of discontent swept through the crowd — underscoring the depth of UPC’s internal fractures ahead of the next election cycle.
Mama Miria Obote, widow of the late president and former UPC presidential candidate, also delivered a heartfelt plea for unity. “Do not let the party die under your watch,” she urged. “You owe it to history, to Uganda, and to the people of Lango. This is not what Mzee stood for. Do not let his legacy fade because of selfishness and disunity.”
Her words, though solemn, failed to cool the visible tensions that marred the event, which was meant to celebrate Dr. Obote’s contribution to Uganda’s independence and postcolonial politics. “When politics forgets principle,” Bishop Okodi concluded, “it becomes poison.”
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