TAKEAWAYS

• NUP and ANT are set to be formally admitted into IPOD at the next summit after receiving approval from the council of party secretaries general.

• PPP and GMA will exit IPOD after failing to win parliamentary seats in the recent elections.

• NUP and ANT will become eligible for government funding allocated to political parties represented in Parliament once admitted.

The Secretary General of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Richard Todwong, has revealed that the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) are set to be admitted into the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) following a recommendation by the council of political party secretaries general.

According to Todwong, the council has completed its work and is now awaiting the next IPOD summit, where the formal admission of the two parties will be approved.

“At our level, as Secretary Generals of Parties, we are finished. We have recommended that NUP and ANT should be admitted. We are waiting for the date for the summit, and I’m sure the summit will be soon, where we shall be admitting NUP and ANT into IPOD.” — Richard Todwong

Todwong also disclosed that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the Green Partisan Movement (GMA) will cease to be members of IPOD after failing to secure parliamentary representation in the recently concluded general elections.

“Since PPP and GMA failed to raise members of Parliament in this election, they are dropping out of IPOD. But in the same spirit, NUP is coming in to join IPOD now, and ANT is coming to join IPOD. The two parties will be admitted into IPOD, while the other two will be wished goodbye as they leave IPOD.” — Richard Todwong

IPOD, the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue, is a platform that brings together registered political parties with parliamentary representation to promote dialogue, consensus-building and peaceful engagement on matters of national governance and democratic development.

Todwong further explained that political parties represented in Parliament receive quarterly government funding, with allocations determined by their numerical strength in Parliament and subject to accountability requirements.

He noted that once NUP and ANT are formally admitted into IPOD, they will also qualify for government funding in line with the law.

A while ago, NUP’s admission into IPOD was surrounded by controversy after the IPOD Secretariat reportedly set conditions for the party’s entry, including requiring party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, to appear in person before the organisation. The conditions sparked debate and delayed the party’s admission.

With the recommendation now complete, the upcoming IPOD summit is expected to formally usher NUP and ANT into the dialogue platform. It’s however waited to see NUP’s and ANT’s formal responses .