The Chairperson of the National Consultative Forum (NCF), Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, has lauded the growing spirit of political cooperation among Uganda’s political parties, emphasising the importance of unity and dialogue in promoting a peaceful democratic transition.
Speaking during Sanyuka Morning Xpress on Friday, Kiwanda reaffirmed that the NCF remains a central platform for engagement among political parties, both those represented in Parliament through the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) and those not currently represented.
“The NCF is set to see how IPOD and non-represented parties operationalise their roles, since these two arms form the backbone of the NCF. Therefore, all political parties are answerable to the Forum,” Kiwanda said.
Kiwanda highlighted that the Ugandan Constitution permits alliances among political parties, revealing that nine parties have formally agreed to work with President Museveni in pursuit of shared national goals.
“These alliances bring more confidence. These political parties aim to mobilise support in what they call a deliberate vote for Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. They support his manifesto, believing he is the only person who can lead Uganda toward a peaceful transition,” he said.
He added that the participating parties have emphasised the importance of protecting Uganda’s electoral processes from foreign interference, describing their stance as both “commendable and patriotic.”
Kiwanda further explained that all political parties with representation in Parliament automatically qualify for membership in IPOD, an organisation that was initially registered as a non-governmental entity to foster inter-party dialogue.
“IPOD, which stands for the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue, was initially established as an NGO,” Kiwanda said.
Kiwanda’s remarks come at a pivotal moment following a significant development within Uganda’s opposition landscape.
In a correspondence dated October 7, 2025, National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya formally communicated the party’s readiness to join IPOD — marking a major shift from its earlier position.
The IPOD Secretariat, in a reply dated October 10, 2025, welcomed NUP’s decision and expressed appreciation for its willingness to participate in constructive dialogue aimed at strengthening Uganda’s multiparty democracy.
Citing Article 5.2.7 of the IPOD framework, the Secretariat reminded NUP that any party seeking membership must first submit a formal written expression of interest to the Secretary to the Council before proceeding to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Kiwanda, however, argued that such is part of IPOD regulations calling upon Chairman Norbert Mao to do as much as possible to produce such regulations.
In September 2021, IPOD had extended invitations to the National Unity Platform (NUP) to join as a new parliamentary entity. However, NUP declined at the time, arguing that IPOD had been “used to legitimise a repressive regime.”