Lira City, Uganda: Government Chief Whip and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag candidate in the heated Ajuri County parliamentary race, Hon Denis Hamson Obua, has accused Jimmy Akena, the President of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), of allegedly working with rival political interests to block his return to Parliament for the 2026-31 term.
Addressing a press conference at Grand Pacific Hotel in Lira City on Friday, Obua said he was “shocked” by Akena’s conduct on polling day, which he claimed raised serious political questions about the integrity and dynamics of the contest.
“I was shocked that Hon. Jimmy Akena, the UPC president, left Lira City, where his wife, Hon. Betty Amongi, was losing to Minister Jane Ruth Aceng, and instead chose to go to the tally centre in Alebtong,” Obua told journalists.
Obua, who lost the tightly contested race to UPC’s Fred Jalameso, said Akena’s movements could not be dismissed as routine political activity. “That decision was not accidental. As a seasoned politician, you know where your presence matters most. For me, it raised serious concerns,” he said.
The Chief Whip further alleged that intelligence he received during the election period pointed to a wider, coordinated political effort aimed at preventing his political comeback.
“I was informed by a trusted source that I was facing what was described as a ‘United Nation’, a coordinated force of political actors whose objective was to ensure that I do not return to Parliament,” Obua claimed.
He argued that the Ajuri County contest went beyond a straightforward party race. “This was not just an NRM versus UPC contest. There were other interests involved, and the coordination was deliberate,” he added.
Akena Dismisses Claims
However, Akena has strongly denied the allegations, saying his presence in Alebtong was purely in his capacity as UPC president supporting the party’s candidate.
“As the President of UPC, it was my responsibility to support our flag bearer. Fred Jalameso was our candidate, and I had every right and obligation to be at the tally centre,” Akena said.
He rejected claims of collusion with Obua’s rivals, describing the accusations as unfounded. “There was no conspiracy and no alliance against Hon. Obua. I did not work with anyone to frustrate him. I was simply performing my role as party leader,” he added.
The Ajuri County parliamentary race was among the most fiercely contested contests in northern Uganda during the 2026 general elections, with Jalameso, a secondary school teacher by profession, narrowly edging out Obua after months of intense campaigning.
While the Electoral Commission declared Jalameso the winner, Obua’s remarks have reopened debate about political alliances, party leadership influence, and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring in northern Uganda’s politics, particularly within the NRM–UPC rivalry.
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