IPOD is NRM’s bathroom; we will never be party to it, says NUP’s Muwanga Kivumbi

National Unity Platform (NUP) MP Muwanga Kivumbi has said that the party will never be part of the Interparty Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), which he likened to a bathroom where ruling NRM goes to wash off its dirt.

Kivumbi, who is the MP for Butambala said that NUP will not allow to be used like all the other political parties through the IPOD.

Kivumbi made these remarks while appearing on the NBS Morning Breeze, Thursday.

“We (NUP) will not be jik, sponge and soap for NRM. IPOD is like a bathroom for NRM and the rest of the political parties are jik, soap and sponge,” Kivumbi said.

Kivumbi said that despite IPOD being in existence for over 10 years, nothing tangible has ever been achieved from it and they don’t wish to be party to such an establishment.

He claimed that through the IPOD, NRM gives political parties money, but they are not even allowed to go to the grassroots to mobilise.

“We are still under state capture, IPOD works in a different environment. The NRM doesn't believe in this thing called multipartism,” Kivumbi said.

Earlier this month, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya said in a letter that they had taken time to study the discussions that have been held in IPOD and in their assessment; NRM has turned it into a forum in which party principals meet for a cup of tea and photo opportunity.

“Serious discussions about the future of our country have been denied audience within the platform, National Unity Platform is not keen on taking part in an exercise which is used as a facade to legitimise and otherwise illegitimate rule,” Rubongoya said.

He said the NUP will only join the IPOD when their party grievances are addressed by NRM.

IPOD is a dialogue platform that brings together political parties with representation in Parliament for dialogue.

IPOD has facilitated interparty agreements and discussions on areas such as law enforcement and electoral reforms, among several others.

The current five member parties cycle the chair position between them, ensuring no one party can dominate the dialogue and trust-building processes it oversees.

Since 2018, the IPOD has convened two special dialogue summits for party leaders of Democratic Party, Justice Forum, National Resistance Movement and Uganda Peoples’ Congress, which included President Yoweri Museveni alongside other party leaders.