Kampala — MPS from Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) have denounced the recent reshuffle by party president, Miria Obote, describing it as untimely and uncalled for.

The MPs, under the UPC Parliamentary Group, on Thursday said the reshuffle "would only serve to derail the party from its set programme of carrying out grassroot elections that will culminate into an Annual Delegates Conference slated for October 2009."

This is contained in a statement read to journalists by Kwania MP, Prof. Willy Washington Anokbonggo on Thursday at a meeting with UPC MPs at Parliament.

In the reshuffle, Obote dropped the Secretary General, Peter Walubiri, and replaced him with Chris Opoka. Chua MP, Livingstone Okello Okello was also dropped as vice president.

She appointed her son Jimmy Akena, who is also the Lira Municipality MP, as the vice-chairman replacing Chris Opio who was made director at the Milton Obote Foundation.

Akena, who did not attend the meeting said, "The president is entitled to appoint and fire. All appointments will be approved by the next national council of the party."

The reshuffle came after some UPC leaders travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, to meet former UN diplomat Olara Otunnu, whom they want to front for the 2011 presidential elections.