The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s largest opposition political party, has finally agreed to join the Interparty Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), marking a major shift in its stance. The decision follows months of financial strain after the government restricted party funding to only IPOD members.

In a letter signed by NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, the party confirmed its readiness to sign the IPOD Memorandum of Understanding a move that will officially make them part of the dialogue platform.

The decision comes after amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act were passed in May this year. The new law, introduced by Napak District Woman MP Faith Nakut, stipulates that only parties affiliated with IPOD can access public political funding.

According to Parliament, the change was intended to promote tolerance, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among political parties represented in Parliament. Lawmakers argued that linking funding to IPOD membership would encourage parties to adhere to democratic principles and reduce political conflict.

Initially, NUP, under its president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine), strongly rejected the amendment. Kyagulanyi accused the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) of using IPOD to legitimise President Museveni’s rule. “We shall never join IPOD because it’s meant to sanitise dictatorship,” he declared earlier this year.

Following the amendment, NUP sued the Attorney General, arguing that the law was passed without proper consultation and that it was being implemented illegally without supporting regulations.

However, tensions escalated when the Electoral Commission recently disbursed over UGX 9.8 billion in party funding excluding NUP. The six benefiting parties included NRM, FDC, DP, UPC, JEEMA, and PPP. NUP’s UGX 1.4 billion share was withheld.

Two weeks earlier, NUP had protested its exclusion from the IPOD summit held at Kololo Independence Grounds, chaired by President Museveni. In a letter to the Electoral Commission, Rubongoya accused authorities of sidelining the party from key discussions on implementing the amended law.

In his latest communication to the IPOD Council, Rubongoya clarified that while NUP still opposes the amendment and awaits the Constitutional Court’s verdict, the party recognises it as binding law for now. “Although we continue to challenge the amendment, we acknowledge that it remains the law of the land. Therefore, we are ready to sign the Memorandum of Understanding as we await the court’s decision,” Rubongoya noted.

Observers say NUP’s decision reflects the financial realities of modern politics. The party had for years depended on government funding
receiving UGX 5.6 billion annually, which helped run operations and finance infrastructure projects, including the party’s Makerere–Kavule headquarters and regional offices in Iganga and Mbarara.

With government funds frozen and foreign donations dwindling amid increased scrutiny, the party has been struggling to sustain its activities. Sources revealed that several diaspora supporters have faced arrests and account freezes, further choking NUP’s funding streams.

Even internal contributions have fallen short. Despite requiring each of its 57 MPs to remit UGX 1 million monthly, not all have done so. Fundraising drives also faltered after the issuance of party tickets, leaving the leadership with limited options.

Faced with these pressures, NUP appears to have chosen pragmatism over defiance. Rubongoya insists, however, that the move is not a surrender but compliance with the law “Our position changed the moment the amendments were passed. We disagree with the process, but until the court rules otherwise, we will operate within the law,” he said.

The ball is now in IPOD’s court to determine whether NUP’s re-entry will be formally accepted
potentially reshaping Uganda’s opposition politics ahead of the 2026 general elections.