High Court Blocks Jimmy Akena’s Third Term Bid for UPC Presidency

The High Court in Kampala has ruled that Hon. Jimmy James Michael Akena is ineligible to run for a third term as party president, declaring his 2025 nomination “illegal, void and of no legal consequence.”

Delivering the ruling on Friday, Hon. Justice Bernard Namanya emphasized that the UPC party constitution clearly limits the presidency to two terms, except in specific circumstances not applicable in Akena’s case.

The judge further issued orders of certiorari and injunction against Akena’s candidacy, effectively removing him from the ongoing party election race for the 2025–2030 term.

“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,” ruled Justice Namanya.

“To promote reconciliation between the parties. Each party shall bear its own costs,” he added, invoking Article 126(2)(d) of Uganda’s Constitution which promotes alternative dispute resolution.

The matter arose when Dennis Adim Enap, a UPC member and fellow contender, challenged Akena’s nomination on the basis of Article 14.1(3) of the UPC constitution.

The article stipulates a two-term limit for party presidents, with an exceptional third term only allowed if the incumbent wins a national presidential election while in their second term a feat Akena has not achieved.

The court agreed with Enap’s argument that Akena had already served two full terms: 2015–2020 and 2020–2025.

Key to the ruling was an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal in 2020, which found that although Akena’s first election in 2015 was quashed by the High Court, he nonetheless continued to serve under the protection of an interim order, completing the full five-year term.

Justice Namanya referred to the judgment by Hon. Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja, who had previously noted that Akena

“continues to execute the duties of the President of the party, albeit resulting from an illegal process which was quashed in 2015.”

Justice Namanya validated that Akena had in fact served two full terms, disqualifying him from seeking a third.

“As of today, Hon. Jimmy James Michael Akena has served two terms as party president of UPC,” said Justice Namanya, stressing that his fresh nomination breached the party’s constitutional term limits.

The High Court issued three major orders; Nullification of Akena’s 2025–2030 nomination, Quashing of UPC’s decision to nominate him, An injunction restraining further nomination of Akena for the said period.

The ruling is expected to send shockwaves through UPC’s top leadership, where Akena son of the party’s founding leader Dr. Apollo Milton Obote has maintained a decade-long grip on power.