Kampala, Uganda: The National Unity Platform (NUP) has agreed to join the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), signaling a major shift in strategy for Uganda’s largest opposition party after years of rejecting the platform as a vehicle for legitimizing President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
In a letter dated June 18, 2026, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya formally communicated the party’s intention to join IPOD and requested that Acting Party President Dr Lina Zedriga Waru be allowed to sign the admission instruments on behalf of party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, who remains outside the country.
“I write to formally express the National Unity Platform’s interest in joining the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue and signing the Memorandum of Understanding thereof,” Rubongoya wrote.
The NUP SG explained that Kyagulanyi’s absence necessitated the delegation of authority to Dr Zedriga, who is currently serving as acting president in accordance with the party constitution.
“Regarding the execution of the admission instruments, please note that the substantive President of the Party is out of the country. In his absence and in accordance with our Party Constitution, the Acting President, Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, is duly mandated to carry out all functions of the office of Party President, including executing the said instruments,” Rubongoya added.
The letter follows communication from IPOD Executive Director Dr Lawrence Sserwambala Kabagabe informing NUP that the Council of Secretaries General had, in principle, approved the party’s admission into the organization.
However, IPOD noted that NUP first needed to submit a formal written expression of interest before the process could be completed.
“Whereas the Party has publicly expressed interest in joining IPOD, the Secretariat has not received any explicit and formal written expression of interest,” Sserwambala stated in his correspondence.
What next for NUP?
Following receipt of the formal request, IPOD is expected to formally admit NUP during an upcoming summit.
The organization has nevertheless indicated that, in line with its Memorandum of Understanding, it expects Kyagulanyi himself to personally sign the admission instruments in the presence of the party’s Secretary General.
“The President of the party, in the presence of the Secretary General, and not any delegated representative, shall personally execute the admission instruments and commit the Party to the principles, objectives, and obligations of IPOD,” the letter noted.
To support its request, NUP attached a letter signed by Kyagulanyi extending Dr Zedriga’s mandate as acting party president for another month.
Kyagulanyi has reportedly remained in the United States since the January 2026 General Election after claiming that he faced threats to his life in Uganda.
NUP’s decision represents a significant departure from its long-standing opposition to IPOD. For years, the party maintained that the dialogue platform had been compromised and was being used to legitimize what it described as the continued dominance of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
However, the political landscape shifted following amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act that tied government funding for political parties to membership in IPOD.
The legislative changes effectively locked NUP out of annual government funding despite being the country’s leading opposition party.
According to party officials, NUP subsequently lost approximately Shs5 billion annually that it had been receiving through the Electoral Commission based on its parliamentary representation.
Political party financing in Uganda is allocated according to the number of Members of Parliament held by each political party, with the ruling NRM historically receiving the largest share due to its parliamentary majority.
Observers say NUP’s move reflects both practical financial considerations and an attempt to secure a seat at formal inter-party dialogue forums ahead of Uganda’s evolving political landscape.
The development also comes amid ongoing internal adjustments within the party’s leadership structure as Kyagulanyi remains abroad and senior party officials continue to manage day-to-day operations.
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