Akena decries missed nomination and condemns rising electoral violence

10 December 2025, 2:01 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The President General of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), Hon. Jimmy Akena, has once again expressed concern over missing out on nomination to contest in the presidential race earlier this year. Akena made the remarks while addressing the party’s weekly press conference at UPC headquarters in Kampala.

He reminded the public that during the Electoral Commission’s nomination exercise, many aspiring presidential candidates who collected nomination forms failed to meet all the required guidelines. He also strongly condemned the rising political violence in the country.

Akena criticised the treatment of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Hon. Kyagulanyi Robert and his supporters, describing the incidents witnessed during their campaigns in Acholi, West Nile, Ankole, Kawempe, and Nakawa as unacceptable. He singled out the use of force in Gulu, calling it unnecessary, and questioned how authorities could restrict campaign time while candidates were still engaging supporters. “How can you say that time expired? When you have a patient to work on, can you leave that patient because time is up? No! You have to first handle the patient. In this election, we are going to see many invalid votes,” he said.

He further raised concerns about the increasing presence and heavy-handedness of the Army and Police during the electoral season. He claimed that the involvement of the Internal Security Organization (ISO) in investigating individuals who provided signatures for presidential candidates was undemocratic and intimidating. He urged stakeholders to demand immediate investigations and hold those responsible to account, suggesting that compensation should be considered for those whose property was damaged during election-related incidents.

Meanwhile, Mukwaya George, an aspiring Local Council III councillor for Namungoona I and II, called on security officers to exercise professionalism while on duty. Speaking to reporters in Kampala, Mukwaya emphasised that peace must be prioritised as the country heads into elections. He commended security agencies for safeguarding the nation but urged the police to act with restraint. “We are in an election period, meaning supporters are expected to express love for their candidates, so excessive force should not be the solution,” he said.