NUP Reverses Stance, Seeks Membership in Inter-Party Dialogue Forum

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has officially indicated its intention to join the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), marking a notable departure from its long-held opposition to the platform. For several years, NUP had expressed refusal to join IPOD, arguing it served to legitimize the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Museveni’s long tenure.

This change in stance appears to be influenced by amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act. These legislative changes now mandate membership in IPOD for political parties to be eligible for government funding. Consequently, NUP faced the loss of substantial annual funding previously received through the Electoral Commission.

In a formal letter dated June 18, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya conveyed the party’s readiness to join IPOD and sign its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The letter acknowledged that party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu is currently abroad, and requested that acting party president Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru be permitted to sign the necessary admission documents.

Rubongoya’s correspondence followed a communication from IPOD executive director Dr. Lawrence Sserwambala Kabagabe, who had informed NUP that its request to join had been accepted by the Council of Secretaries General. However, Kabagabe pointed out that while NUP had publicly stated its interest, a formal written application had not yet been received.

The IPOD MoU stipulates that the party president, in the presence of the secretary general, must personally sign the admission documents. This requirement presents a potential hurdle given the current circumstances of NUP’s leadership. The party’s application signifies a strategic move to re-engage with a key political platform, despite previous reservations.

Source: https://observer.ug/news/nup-makes-u-turn-seeks-to-join-ipod