Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President Jimmy Akena has defended his party’s attendance at the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) Delegates Conference held at Kololo, saying it was in line with their commitment to the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).
Akena dismissed criticism from sections of the opposition who questioned UPC’s presence at the ruling party’s high-level gathering, insisting that their participation was not a betrayal but a continuation of dialogue efforts.
“UPC went to Kololo for the NRM Delegates Conference under the invitation from IPOD. We have never walked away from IPOD,” Akena stated.
The UPC leader emphasized that IPOD serves as a platform for political engagement among parties represented in Parliament, and attendance at such events does not compromise their independence or opposition stance.
His remarks come amid growing debate over the role of opposition parties in government-organized functions, with critics arguing that such participation often blurs political lines.