The Electoral Commission of Uganda has disqualified Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party from participating in the fourth coming presidential elections.
The party had nominated Jimmy James Michael Akena, and Denis Enap Adim for the position of the party’s presidential flag bearer.
However, in a ruling delivered on Monday, September 22, 2025, by the EC chairperson, Justice Mugenyi Simon Byabakama, neither Jimmy James Michael Akena nor Denis Enap Adim is recognized as a flag bearer in law and in fact, and the party and all concerned are advised to comply with the party constitution and the subsisting Court orders.
On Sunday 21st September, the EC and representation from the UPC Party; Akena, Enap Adim, Joseph Pinytek Ochieno and Peter Walubiri Mukidi, among other members, met to find the commission’s position regarding the declaration on the recognized party flag bearer for the 2026 presidential elections.
Having deliberated over the previous occurrences in the UPC, the supporting documents presented in the meeting and the submissions of all parties, the EC observed that the nomination of Akena for the office of the UPC Party President for the period 2025-2030 is illegal, null and void, while that of Enap Adim did not comply with Article 13 (5) of the UPC party Constitution.
Peter Mukidi Walubiri can not be nominated as presidential candidate because he didn’t participate in the nomination exercise seeking the party presidency.
The EC further observed that the convening of the UPC’s Virtual Extra-Ordinary Delegates Conference did not comply with Articles 25 (2) and (3) of the party Constitution because court had issued an interim exparte order restraining UPC and Hon Akena, their agents, servants, or any other one acting under the authority from convening either physically or virtually.
The commission also argued that the decision of court on Misc. Cause No 148 /2025, wherein Court ruled that Akena had served the two terms as a Party President as enshrined in the party constitution and that the party should not nominate has not been stayed, and is therefore, still in force and binding to all.
In May this year, Enap Adim who was nominated together with Akena challenged Akena’s nomination in Court and consequently, the Court ordered that Akena’s nomination was illegal, null and void.
Akena was nominated after the controversial extraordinary delegates’ conference extended his term of office.
This the EC says did not fully comply with Section 10 of Political Parties and Organizations Act, Cap 178, which forms the basis of Akena’s extended Presidency for one year.
Jude Byamukama from JByamukama Advocates who represented Ochieno trashed claims circulating on social media that EC has cleared Akena as UPC flag bearer, calling it fake.
Jimmy James Michael Akena has served the UPC party president for two consecutive terms.
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https://radioetoil.com/ec-bars-upc-from-2026-presidential-race-over-party-constitution-breaches/
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