Kampala, Uganda: The High Court in Kampala has dismissed with costs a case in which the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) sought to compel government to allocate it funds under the Interparty Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) arrangement.
In the ruling, the presiding Judge held that NUP had consistently distanced itself from IPOD activities and therefore had no legal standing to claim a share of the funds.
The Court noted that NUP’s sudden interest in IPOD only came on October 7th, by which time the government had already disbursed funds to other participating political parties.
Through an affidavit sworn by Mr Lawrence K. Sserwambala, the Executive Director of IPOD, the Government asked the Court to dismiss the case, affirming that since 2021, NUP had declined multiple invitations to join IPOD and had publicly distanced itself from the platform’s engagements and resolutions.
The ruling effectively ends NUP’s attempt to access IPOD funding—resources meant to strengthen dialogue among political parties represented in Parliament.
What is IPOD?
The Interparty Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) is a platform bringing together political parties with representation in Parliament to discuss national governance and policy issues.
Funding under IPOD is provided through the National Consultative Forum for Political Parties and Organisations (NCF), with allocations made only to active member parties that participate in IPOD activities and sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Currently, IPOD member parties include the NRM, FDC, DP, UPC, and JEEMA. The NUP has since 2021 declined to sign the MoU and has not participated in any IPOD engagements, hence being excluded from the funding framework.
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