On Thursday 3rd Feb while appearing on a morning TV show, UPC party president Jimmy Akena denounced the Red card movement and denied even having any knowledge of it.
Akena who was being interviewed about his party’s silence over the ongoing political divide in opposition was asked if he was willing to join the coalition and he vehemently turned it down.
‘You are asking UPC, which has structures across the country, to jump out of this and join something called the Red Card Movement that is amorphous and ambiguous? I don’t know what this Red Card Movement is, and I’m not part of it,’ said the Lira municipality MP.
On being asked about the opposition coming together to remove NRM from power, the son of former president Milton Obote said that the opposition has no plan.
‘You come to power to do what? You don’t have to come to power and then plan on what to do. If you put it that the problem is an individual, you will get rid of that individual and the problems won’t be solved,’ he stated.
The UPC party president also denied having any communication with NUP or any of its members.
‘We have not had an engagement with NUP,’ said the legislator.
‘I have a position that I’m putting forward. If it deviates from the position of the sitting government, I can put it out loud or I can whisper. We should reach a level where we can maturely handle issues. We are not there yet, but we are getting there,’ he added.
Hon. Jimmy Akena also admitted to not being ready and having a suitable candidate for the presidency in the last election when asked why UPC didn’t front a presidential candidate last year.
‘The decision not to field a candidate in the last election was based on a decision to do things that will bring returns,’ said the politician.
The comments made by Mr. Jimmy Akena further go to show that the opposition in Uganda holds no water, – is divided and full of nothing doers and noisemakers who do not know how to dialogue and govern.