The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party President, Jimmy Akena has dismissed any role for the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) in determining the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LOP) or reshaping the leadership of other political parties, insisting he will not remain silent simply because someone wants to become president.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference on Wednesday, November 4th, 2026, at Uganda House, Akena said an official communication from the Electoral Commission had been copied to the chairman of PLU.

“Who is he as far as UPC is concerned? PLU wants to change the leader of opposition to talk to themselves. PLU wants to change the leadership of UPC to talk to themselves. And you talk about dialogue?” Akena asked.

He said Article 208 of the Constitution of Uganda clearly prohibits anyone from serving actively in the military while simultaneously campaigning or collecting signatures for a presidential candidature.

“We’re expected to keep quiet. We’re expected to engage in a dialogue which does not take into account the actual law. I am not going to bow down to some tweeting General,” Akena said.

Akena argued that Uganda’s political debate had shifted away from the issues affecting ordinary citizens, citing statistics showing that a quarter of children under five are malnourished, while more than half of children leave school before sitting their Primary Leaving Examinations.

“The children of Uganda deserve a future and that future cannot be held hostage because somebody wants to be president,” he noted.

Regarding dialogue, Akena recalled previously meeting President Museveni and helping secure increased funding for political parties, but said the NRM had gone years without convening an IPOD summit. He referred to Section 14B of the Political Parties and Organisations Act, arguing that parties continue to face mistreatment, arrests and imprisonment even as calls for dialogue persist.

“You’ve mistreated us, you’ve cheated us, you’re abusing us, you’re arresting us, you’re jailing us, and you’re killing us. Then you still want dialogue,” Akena said.

He further argued that uncertainty surrounding the transition was contributing to the shilling’s collapse and maintained that the last elections lacked credibility.

“This is a republic. A republic entails that the presidency is subject to the will of the people,” Akena noted.