Jimmy Akena
Recent frustrations expressed by Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) Party President Jimmy Akena have reignited discussion over a time when the former First Son reportedly declined an offer from President Yoweri Museveni to serve as Third Deputy Prime Minister.
Akena, who currently serves as Member of Parliament for Lira City East Division, recently told Parliament that he was blocked from being nominated as a Presidential candidate for the 2026 general elections — blaming his political challenges on President Museveni.
However, sources close to State House and the UPC leadership have told the Kampala Gazette that during the formation of the current government, President Museveni personally reached out to Akena, asking him to join the executive as Third Deputy Prime Minister.
“Although he did not tell the President why, Akena knew that accepting the job would cement the long-standing talks of an NRM–UPC ‘marriage’. He politely declined,” a source familiar with the discussions revealed.
“Instead, he recommended his wife and fellow UPC member, Betty Amongi, for a Cabinet position.”
Amongi, who currently serves as Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, has been a key figure linking the UPC to the ruling government since 2016.
According to the same source, Akena feared that accepting the Deputy Prime Minister position would limit his political independence and automatically bar him from running against President Museveni in future presidential contests.
“He had his eyes on the 2026 presidential ballot. Taking up the Prime Minister’s role would have made it politically impossible to challenge Museveni — just like how Justice Minister Norbert Mao has not contested again,” the source added.
Political analysts believe that Museveni’s outreach to Akena was part of a strategic effort to neutralize opposition influence in regions traditionally viewed as UPC strongholds — particularly Lango, Acholi, Teso, and parts of Western Uganda (Bushenyi area).
When Akena declined the position, Museveni reportedly shifted the appointment to Busoga, naming Rukia Isanga Nakadama as Third Deputy Prime Minister — a move interpreted by insiders as a reward to Busoga, where opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) had outperformed Museveni in the 2021 presidential polls.
“It was more of a carrot to Busoga — a signal that the region remains important to the NRM, even though they did not vote for Museveni,” the source noted.
With his presidential ambitions now frustrated, Akena recently told the Daily Monitor that he “will not tire of fighting Museveni,” signaling that the UPC leader may still play an active role in opposition politics in the run-up to the 2026 general elections.
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