Court of Appeal has nullified Jimmy Akena’s election as UPC party president and orders the party to hold fresh elections and nominate new flag bearers.
Justices Elizabeth Musoke, Christopher Madrama and Irene Mulyagonja have further warned the party that its credibility will continue to be in doubt if its leadership is not in line with provisions of the constitution.
This is after the judges also established that Akena has been occupying the UPC party presidential office illegally.
The High Court in 2015 declared that Akena is not the legitimate UPC president and consequently, threw him out of office.
However, Akena together with the party’s Electoral Commission appealed against the decision before the Court of Appeal.
On Monday morning, a panel of three Justices including Elizabeth Musoke, Christopher Izama Madrama and Irene Mulyagonja threw out Akena’s appeal arguing that it holds no water.
“It is now five years down the road and Hon. Akena continues to execute duties of the president of the party, albeit resulting from an illegal process which was quashed in 2015,” the judges said.
The court explained that UPC’s credibility will continue to be soiled if its leadership is not brought into office in conformity with provisions of their constitution, Political Parties and Organisations Act and the Constitution of Uganda.