Sserwambala made the revelation on Monday while appearing on NBS Television, where he discussed NUP’s renewed interest in joining the political dialogue platform.
He dismissed suggestions that NUP’s decision to join IPOD is solely motivated by the desire to access government funding, saying the party’s recent communication indicates a broader interest in engaging in political dialogue.
“Although I acknowledge they need the money, I don't think NUP is joining IPOD simply for the money,” Dr Sserwambala said.
The remarks come amid debate over NUP’s decision to seek membership in IPOD, a platform established in 2010 to promote dialogue among political parties represented in Parliament.
The significance of IPOD membership has increased following amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act, which link government funding for political parties to active participation in the platform.
NUP’s relationship with IPOD dates back several years, after the secretariat invited the party to join shortly after the 2021 General Election. However, the invitation was initially declined.
The party later changed its position and submitted a communication expressing interest in joining IPOD. However, the IPOD Council of Secretary Generals found the wording of the letter unclear and asked NUP to clarify its intentions before the process could proceed.
According to Sserwambala, the timing of NUP’s application also contributed to delays, as several members of the IPOD Summit were engaged in the election period, making it difficult to convene the meeting required to consider new membership applications.
“What you may think is hesitancy might be the limitation of time. NUP expressed interest to join IPOD around election time. Almost all members of the IPOD summit were involved in the elections. This made it a little difficult to have the summit to admit NUP,” he said.
Sserwambala explained that under the IPOD Memorandum of Understanding, applications are first reviewed by the Council of Secretary Generals before being forwarded to the IPOD Summit, which has the final mandate to approve new members.
He said the process involves several consultations and meetings rather than a single decision-making session.
“The process of adding a new party into IPOD isn't a one off. There are a series of meetings that take place. Right now we are heading to the pinnacle of that process to admit NUP and ANT,” he said.
The admission process for both NUP and the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) is now nearing completion, according to the IPOD Executive Director.
IPOD currently brings together political parties represented in Parliament to promote dialogue, consensus-building and peaceful political engagement. Existing members include the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Democratic Party (DP), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Justice Forum (JEEMA).
The platform’s role has gained importance in recent years after amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act made IPOD membership a requirement for parties to access public funding provided through the Electoral Commission. The funding is allocated based on parliamentary representation and is intended to support administrative and operational activities.
For years, NUP stayed away from IPOD, arguing that the platform did not sufficiently address key governance concerns. The party also challenged provisions linking state funding to IPOD membership, but the legal challenge did not overturn the requirement.
Following the setback, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya formally communicated the party’s interest in joining IPOD, saying participation would provide an opportunity to pursue electoral reforms and other governance issues within the dialogue framework while securing access to public funding.
Once the IPOD Summit formally approves the application, NUP will become a full member of the organisation and qualify for government funding alongside other eligible parliamentary political parties.