Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) Plunges into Leadership Crisis as Two Factions Summon Rival Meetings

KAMPALA, Uganda – June 12, 2026 – The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), one of Uganda’s oldest political parties, appears to be on the brink of a formal split today after two individuals claiming the title of Party President issued separate official notices summoning different party organs to meetings on different dates.

In dueling letters addressed to party leadership, Jimmy Akena and Dennis Adim Enap each invoked articles of the UPC constitution, exposing a bitter power struggle just months after the disputed 2025 Party President elections.

In a notice dated June 10, 2026, Jimmy Akena—operating from the party’s official website—called for an Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the National Council to be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Citing "Standard Operating Procedures for Ebola disease threats," Akena directed all Members of the Party Cabinet, UPC MPs, District Executive Committee Chairpersons, and District Women, Youth, and Disability Leaders to attend online.

The agenda includes a “Report of the Party President on the status of the Party” and an update on the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).

Hours later, a separate letter signed by Dennis Adim Enap surfaced, summoning a much larger body: The UPC Delegates Conference. According to his notice, the meeting will take place in-person on July 25, 2026, at Christ The King Church Hall, Kampala, starting at 9:00 am.

Adim Enap’s agenda directly challenges Akena’s authority, listing:

· A “Report of the 2025 Party President elections and resolutions thereof” (implying a different outcome than Akena’s victory).

· “Presentation and adoption of Party Cabinet.”

· A controversial item: “Cooperation between UPC and National Resistance Movement (NRM).”

· “Amendment of party constitution.”

Political analysts say the dueling notices represent a fundamental fracture. Akena appears to be rallying the standing National Council to consolidate his control, while Adim Enap is bypassing that body entirely to convene the supreme authority—the Delegates Conference—to potentially amend the constitution and formalize a new leadership.

The inclusion of “Cooperation with NRM” on Adim Enap’s agenda is likely to inflame tensions, as the UPC has historically positioned itself as an opposition force against President Museveni’s ruling party.

Neither faction has yet commented on the other’s legitimacy. However, with two presidents now setting competing dates and venues, the UPC faces the real prospect of government intervention from the Electoral Commission to determine which faction holds the legal mandate.

Reached for comment, a senior UPC official who requested anonymity said: “The party is not divided. The problem is that two people are holding one title. By July 25, we will know who the true president is.”