Obote’s group of UNC joined with Uganda People’s Union (UPU) to become Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
In 1960 UPC made an alliance with the Kabaka Yekka (KY) party to contest in the 1961 elections against the Democratic Party (DP) which was considered a very strong party.
The UPC-KY union won majority seats in the April 1962 pre-independence elections.
UPC-KY formed government and therefore led Uganda to independence on 9th October 1962.
UPC was instrumental in mobilizing Ugandans to demand for their independence.
UPC identified and cultivated a good leader, Apollo Milton Obote as a capable, hardworking, foresighted and devoted
leader.
In 1966 UPC fell out with KY due to power struggle for the topmost leadership.
In 1969, Obote declared the “Move to the left”, a socialist ideology. This was done to create unity and development. All the parastatals were nationalized.
On 25th January 1971, UPC was overthrown by its own army under the command of Idi Amin Dada while Obote was attending a common wealth summit at Singapore. He alleged that Obote was Corrupt and was a dictator.
While in exile Obote’s UPC and other exiles tried to fight Amin. They invaded Uganda through Kagera Salient in Tanzania but they were pushed back by Amin’s forces.
In 1979 with the support of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, UPC under Obote and his group overthrew Amin on 11th April 1979.
In May 1980, Obote returned home in a heroic welcome. He, right away organised UPC, his party to participate in the December 1980 general elections.
The December 1980 general elections were contested between four political parties, namely UPC under Milton Obote, DP under Paul Semogerere, Conservative Party (CP) under Johash Mayanja Nkangi and Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) under Yoweri Museveni.
UPC under Obote won although with a claim of vote rigging from other political parties.
UPC under Dr Apollo Milton Obote ruled Uganda for the second time until July 1985 when he was overthrown again by his own army in yet another military coup on the ground that he was a dictator and tribalistic.
Obote remained the President General of UPC until October 2005.
UPC remained under Dr Apollo Milton until he passed away on 10th October, 2005 at the age of 81 due to kidney failure in a South African Hospital.
UPC leadership was passed over to Obote’s wife Mama Miria Nakitto Kalule Obote after UPC delegate conference held in November 2005. She took part in the 23rd February 2006, elections.
Mama Miria Kalule Obote in turn passed over the leadership of UPC to Dr John Olara Otunnu who heads it up to date.