The member of parliament for Masaka municipality Mathias Mpuuga said that Dr. Otunnu is still needed in Uganda politics since the country has few experienced and respected politicians. Mpuuga said that he will talk to him so as he changes his mind and remain around for non-elective politics to help the next generation to baby seat the country’s democracy. The woman Member of Parliament for Lira district Joy Atim Ongom said that Otunu should not quit politics over wrangles in UPC since there are always solutions to problems.

However, Maruzi Member of Parliament in Apac district Maxwel Akora said that though he exhibited good leadership at the beginning as the party president he was later selfish when he blocked the party successor Jimmy Akana to run the party.

A politician, diplomat, and lawyer, Otunnu has been President of UPC from 2010 to 2015. Otunnu ran in 2010 to succeed Miria Obote, wife of former President Milton Obote, as president of the UPC. He says that although he is leaving active politics UPC still needs him as its member. Otunnu succeeded Miria Obote, wife of former President Milton Obote, in 2010 as president of the UPC after defeating the now party president at UPC headquarters, Jimmy Akena,

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The first tendency is being promoted by Olara Otunnu, Mugisha Muntu and Norbert Mao. The second tendency has Col Besigye as its high priest. That is why unlike Ssebaana Kizito who travelled around Uganda to introduce me as the new DP leader, Col. Besigye has never been seen to move with Gen Muntu to introduce him as his successor. Why?

Secondly IPC failed because Col. Besigye didn’t adhere to the agreed protocol. Summit members were to get support for the positions they were aspiring for but Col. Besigye undermined people like Micheal Mabikke and Muhammad Mayanja who should have been supported under the protocol.

If you are not faithful in small things will you be faithful in big ones? That is why Olara Otunnu quit the IPC in protest. I do not agree that if you are a leader in the opposition then you should not be criticised. We should all be open to scrutiny.

It is also not true that Col. Besigye has never criticised me. I have heard him publicly criticise me in the media. I also know that he has a role in the current confusion in the UYD.

In 2011 he encouraged individuals in DP to back him and today his strategy is the same. Ugandans have a choice between the two tendencies. I have spoken my mind without dithering or equivocating. Personally I know that what happened in Egypt can happen in Uganda.

Ugandans will trust individuals and institutions that have struggled over time for democracy, truth and justice. They will not cling to straws in the wind. That is why the Muslim Brotherhood is in power.

On the whole this debate is healthy and very liberating. Lets pursue the truth and it will set us free. Sometimes people will try to deceive us but we should never succumb to self deception.

Trouble with the truth is that you may denounce it, smear it and ignore it but at the end of the day, there it is. We better have bitter disagreements as we struggle to find a way out of our national malaise rather than pretending to agree then fight as soon as the first goal is reached. Aren’t the lesson of KY/UPC, Moshi and Luweero Triangle glaring enough?

DP President General, Nobert Mao

I rather march to a lone drum rather than to a tumultuous orchestra beckoning me over the cliff and to doom. On this matter I will endure all the possible insults and bear any injury to my reputation.

I will keep the company of Galileo, Thomas More and the martyrs of Paimol (Jildo Irwa and Daudi Okello). If I am wrong, I will pay the price for error of judgement and all you folks will have the pleasure of saying “we told you…”.

But again, what if I am right? What if Uganda’s problems need strong institutions rather than strong men (women)?

On this Labour Day I dedicate to you Tina Turner’s song “We Do Not Need Another Hero!”

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The former UN Diplomat says that the gap between the rich and poor people inUgandais widening. The truth on the ground is that the difference between people who have money in volumes and don’t know what to do with it is unimaginable. And this has turned most families inUgandato become beggars.

Otunnu further says that due to torture and impoverishment Museveni’s regime has conditioned people to accept things the way they are and not see things the way they should be. InKampala, for example in September 2009 the UPDF and the police openly shot dead unarmed demonstrators and since that time nobody has been held accountable.

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The leaders of opposition parties are through with the list of candidates they want to represent them in EALA. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has chosen its iron lady Salaam Musumba, and former MP Augustine Ruzindana to be its candidate for EALA. The Uganda Peoples Congress has sent Cecilia Nyakait, Okello Okello and Dr. Olara Otunnu.

Justice Forum has picked Asuman Basalirwa; Conservative Party (CP) picked Suzan Nakawuki while the Democratic Party is planning to pick Norbert Mao and former legislator, John Kawanga. Others still in the race on DP side are Mukasa Fred Mbidde, Kenneth Paul Kakande, Deo Kijjambu, John Mary Sebuwufu, and DP deputy Secretary General, Vincent Mayanja.

The parliament of Uganda will seat in April to vet the opposition party representatives. After the vetting exercise the MPs will vote two people from the opposition shades to represent the opposition opinion in EALA.

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The meeting we are told took place in Kasangati in the home of Col. Kiiza Besigye of FDC. In attendance was UPC President, Dr. Olara Otunnu, Social Democratic Party president Michael Mabikke, DP representatives and Col. Besigye himself was present.

The donors asked Besigye and other opposition leaders who were in the meeting why they don’t unit to form a one party opposition force to oust president Museveni. Otunnu, and the DP officials deliberated on the issue.

In the meeting, DP, UPC and SDP declined to form a joint opposition party. But they agreed to work together in the struggle to oust Museveni. From the meeting, Besigye and group went to Namasuba Kalina zone for a joint rally.

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By the time we went to press the MPs who had arrived included Lulume Bayiga (DP), Ibrahim Semujju (FDC), Huseein Kyanjo (Jeema) and John Ken Lukyamuzi (Conservative Party) among others.

According to the programme, the MPs whose conference has been sponsored by the conservative parties in Norway will discuss the economic challenges facing Uganda and East Africa as a whole.

The opening session of the conference has been attended by opposition party presidents Dr Kizza Besigye (FDC), Norbert Mao (DP), Olara Otunnu (UPC), Ken Lukyamuzi (CP) and Asuman Basalirwa of Jeema.

By Moureen Nakyanzi

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The message that Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party president Dr. Olara Otunnu had packaged well yesterday that he has two daughters has been rubbished by his own party members. One of the UPC officials, David Pulkol says that he knows Otunnu well; the man does not have daughters/ a family.

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The president of Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC), Dr. Olara Otunnu has welcomed the birth of the new prince ofBugandaKingdom, Richard Semakokkiro.

The Katikkiro of Buganda announced the birth of a second son of the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi on Tuesday evening.

Otunnu says that the birth of the newBugandaprince means that there will be continuity of traditional leadership in Bugandaas there will be no succession vacuum. Otunnu says that UPC has a party is a strong supporter of Buganda traditions; this is the reason it is pleased with the birth of the newBugandaprince.

Otunnu said this in a statement he pinned at the UPC head offices in Kampala today.  The new born prince is the fifth child of the Kabaka after Prince Jjunju and Princesses; JoanNassolo,Victoria Nkinzi  and Sarah Katrina Sangalyambogo. Otunnu says that all the members of UPC are praying for the good health of the newBugandaprince.

By Walakira Nyanzi

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Pulkol told the media that he and other party officials used the money to run party activities. He threatened to sue media houses that would continue publishing defamatory stories about him.

Pulkol says that publishing such stories destroys his name in the public. The media houses that published stories against Pulkol quoted the UPC President Dr. Olara Otunnu who told a press conference that David Pulkol had stolen 250 million shillings.

Otuno told journalists that UPC had already alerted Deepening Democracy Program -the NGO which provided the party funds to investigate the loss. Otunnu sacked Pulkol last month over reported mismanagement of the above funds.

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UPC President Olara Otunu

The duo were attending the celebrations to mark 100 years of the Catholic faith in Acholi region and during the celebration of mass,  Otunnu shook hands with Museveni during the liturgical rite of peace.

Otunnu says there were two handshakes, one of which was extended to the President because the rite of peace is part of the Catholic celebration of Holy mass.

He has defended his move saying it was an act of faithfulness to the liturgy as a faithful worshipper and that the second handshake, which saw the President move from his seat to Otunnu’s place to shake his hand, can only be explained by Museveni.

Ultimate Media

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