Tuesday, August 23, 2011

What Jimmy Akena is Doing is Bad for Country

I have not followed the so called in-fighting in UPC. But from what I have heard recently, Akena is doing something very bad; that of confusing members of UPC. Even if you factor in pre-independence wars between Acholi and Lango, it is still wrong to combine these issues with UPC issues. Acholi and Langi are living with the pain that has been subjected to them by different regimes in Uganda as peacefully as possible. In fact it is politicians who cause the misunderstanding for their own selfish interests.
Akena lost the election for party president in an open competition. This is not a demotion or a crime of any kind. One period one leader. What more can he do in between such elections? Any sane person would understand that, as a party member, you have to behave in a way that promotes party interests. But if he is fighting the party president at every turn then he trying to destroy the party. And the reason cannot be because he has to be the party president.
Is it not questionable that a former party president contender would also act as an agitator and be the first to rise to question the party president?
Recently, Jimmy Akena jumped at the party president during a press conference organized for the members of the press. Why would you do something like this in the open forum of perhaps hostile people to the party? If Jimmy cannot help rebuild the party then maybe he should take a leave of absence to cool down. But he should not withhold his support for Mr Otunnu the current party president. People look to him as the son of first UPC president and the man who founded the party now fondly referred to as "the congress of the people." Even if he is not the party president, there is always a special place for him in the hearts of the members of the party. One day that feeling may be translated into some party actions.
A quote from the Common Man's Charter should enlighten him, "(vii) To ensure that no citizen of Uganda will enjoy any special privilege, status or title by virtue of birth, descent or heredity;"
The UPC has its rules and members should know that they are doing right or wrong by those same rules.