Minister Amongi Clashes with Husband Akena Over UPC’s 2026 Political Direction
LIRA CITY – A significant political and domestic rift has erupted between Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President Jimmy Akena and his wife, the Senior Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi Akena, over which presidential candidate the party will support in the 2026 polls.
The conflict came to a head during a meeting held in Lira City on Monday, where Minister Amongi directly contradicted her husband’s public stance and assured UPC supporters that the party’s top leadership—and not Mr. Akena alone—would guide the decision on a presidential candidate.
Her statement was a clear rebuttal to Akena’s recent claims that the UPC would not support President Yoweri Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer. Amongi explicitly told party faithful not to follow the declarations made by the party president, who is also her husband.
The meeting took a dramatic turn when Amongi reportedly confronted Akena, demanding he explain his decision to oppose Museveni. She reminded him that the two political leaders had entered into a “political marriage,” implying a pre-existing agreement for collaboration.
Sources present at the meeting revealed that the pressure from his wife became so intense that Akena stormed out of the venue. He was reported to have driven off to his home in Akokoro to “cool off and rest.”
The public disagreement now threatens to spill beyond the political arena into their personal lives. Family sources indicate that the situation is exacerbating their already shaky marriage. The couple recently confirmed that they can spend weeks without physically meeting, and this latest political clash is seen as a significant strain on their relationship.
The incident highlights the deep political calculations within UPC as the country moves toward the 2026 general elections, pitting the party’s president against a powerful cabinet minister who is also his spouse, creating a complex web of political and marital tensions.
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