By KT Reporter
The Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) has clarified the formal procedure for political parties seeking membership, responding to the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) desire to sign the IPOD Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In an October 10th, 2025 letter, IPOD Executive Director Dr. Lawrence Sserwambala Kabagabe acknowledged NUP’s interest, stating: “IPOD appreciates your party’s intention to sign the Memorandum of Understanding and commends your party’s commitment to strengthening Uganda’s multiparty democracy through constructive political dialogue.”
However, Dr. Kabagabe emphasized that formal membership requires following the MoU’s provisions: “A Political party eligible to join IPOD shall express its interest in writing to the Secretary to the Council,” citing Article 5.2.7. He explained that this written Expression of Interest, affirming commitment to IPOD’s objectives, principles, and obligations, is the first legal and procedural step. Once submitted, “the IPOD Council will formally process your request with consideration in line with the MoU and the established legal framework under Section 20 of the PPOA.”
NUP, meanwhile, has repeatedly protested its exclusion from discussions concerning the amended Political Parties and Organisations Act (PPOA). In a letter dated September 17, 2025, the party wrote: “To the best of our knowledge, the ongoing discussions and decisions…are illegal, in the absence of a statutory instrument prescribing how political parties join or leave the National Consultative Forum, in accordance with the amended law.”
NUP further highlighted that “IPOD, as it existed as a company limited by guarantee before the coming into force of the new law, ceased to exist and is now a statutory body.” NUP also raised concerns over an IPOD summit convened on September 18, 2025, asserting that the party was again excluded: “We therefore request the Electoral Commission, being the custodian of political parties in Uganda, to ensure that all discussions related to the amended law are inclusive and are conducted in accordance with the law.”
In a prior letter dated October 7, 2025, NUP emphasized its compliance with the law and its intention to participate fully in IPOD: “The National Unity Platform has been and remains an active member of the National Consultative Forum…In light of this, the National Unity Platform would like to sign the MOU…as we await the decision of the Constitutional Court.”
IPOD reiterated its commitment to inclusivity and transparency, noting that NUP’s participation would “enrich the platform’s diversity and strengthen collective efforts toward a more democratic and sustainable political environment.”
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