The High Court has dealt a decisive blow to Hon. Jimmy James Michael Akena’s bid for a third term as Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party president, ruling that his nomination for the 2025–2030 term is unlawful and constitutionally barred.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Bernard Namanya on Friday, the court found that Akena’s nomination by UPC’s electoral commission violated the party’s constitution, which caps the presidency at two terms unless the incumbent secures a national presidential victory during the second term, a milestone Akena has not achieved.
“The nomination of Hon. Jimmy James Michael Akena for the office of party president of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) for the period 2025 to 2030 is illegal and therefore null and void,” the judge ruled.
The ruling follows a petition filed by Dennis Adim Enap, a UPC member and presidential hopeful, who challenged Akena’s nomination under Article 14.1(3) of the party constitution. Enap argued—and the court agreed—that Akena had already served two full five-year terms: 2015–2020 and 2020–2025.
The court not only nullified the 2025 nomination but also issued a certiorari order quashing the UPC electoral commission’s decision and an injunction barring any further nomination of Akena for the same period.
A Long Presidency Tested in Court
Akena, who is the son of UPC founder and former Ugandan president Dr. Apollo Milton Obote, has held onto the party leadership for a decade, often amid internal disputes and legal battles. His initial election in 2015 was nullified by the High Court for procedural irregularities, but he continued in office under an interim order—an arrangement that would come back to haunt his third-term ambitions.
Key to Justice Namanya’s ruling was a 2020 Court of Appeal decision affirming that Akena had effectively completed a full first term between 2015 and 2020, despite the legal challenge to his election.
The judge cited Hon. Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja, who had previously concluded that Akena
“continues to execute the duties of the President of the party, albeit resulting from an illegal process which was quashed in 2015.”
Based on this, Justice Namanya affirmed that Akena’s leadership since 2015 constituted two complete terms under the party’s rules.
“As of today, Hon. Jimmy James Michael Akena has served two terms as party president of UPC,” Namanya stated. “His fresh nomination breached the party’s constitutional term limits.”
A Call for Reconciliation
Though firm in his legal findings, Justice Namanya struck a tone of unity in concluding the matter, invoking Article 126(2)(d) of the Constitution, which promotes alternative dispute resolution in judicial proceedings.
“To promote reconciliation between the parties. Each party shall bear its own costs,” he said.
The ruling is expected to trigger a shakeup in UPC’s top leadership. Akena, once seen as the enduring face of the party, now finds himself legally barred from continuing a legacy shaped by his father.
While the UPC electoral commission has yet to formally respond to the ruling, insiders say the verdict has opened the field for new leadership within the party — potentially reshaping its direction ahead of national elections.
