Even after refusing to join a group of parties and individuals seeking to wrest power from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), the Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC) has said that The Democratic Alliance (TDA) protocol failed because its members placed self interest above matters of the coalition.
Speaking to the journalists during the weekly press conference held at the party headquarters in Kampala today, UPC spokesperson Michael Osinde Orach noted that TDA, a loose association of those opposed to President Museveni and the NRM, had good objectives but was crippled by individual selfish interests.
“TDA was good but individuals put personal interests first and distorted the alliance’s goals,” Mr Orach said adding: “Don’t think about taking power yet people are dying of hunger every day, put country first.”
Last week, TDA failed to reach a consensus on who would carry the coalition’s flag in next year’s presidential elections, and Mr at the press conference Mr Orach warned UPC adherents that taking part in TDA activities could have implications for some of them.
“TDA will have implication on whether Electoral Commission will take you on as a UPC member,” he said adding: “If you pick nomination forms under TDA and not UPC, the Disciplinary Committee will convene.”
He also warned TDA not to fly the UPC flag at their headquarters in Naguru, arguing that the party is not in the coalition. “We will take them to court if our flag is flown again at TDA offices,” cautioned Mr Orach.
In a jibe at Dr Olara Otunnu, Mr Orach ‘advised’ the ‘former’ party president to contest on the TDA ticket only if he has a following.
“TDA is not about individuals who carry briefcases around town, it’s about those that have a following,” Mr Orach said before dismissing claims that UPC party president, Jimmy Akena was siding with Kizza Besigye, the FDC flag bearer.
“Those are baseless allegations; FDC can follow us if they want but we have never followed them. Our foundation is focused on our party structures not in their individual goals.”
Meanwhile, Mr Orach has also blamed government for failing to fight poverty, adding that the youth had fallen victim.
“Poverty has led to exploitation of the youth; this is a huge matter that must be handled before 2016,” he said and also attacked government and other stakeholders for not promptly responding to the famine-stricken Teso and Karamoja regions.
“We call upon government, WFP and all stakeholders to treat the hunger with urgency. Instead of helping the affected communities, they are fighting on how to retain power,” he noted.
Last week government sent relief aid to Karamoja after it was reported
