A new law is in the pipeline to ensure that the government withdraws funding from political parties that refuse to participate in the activities of the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) and fail to subscribe to the National Consultative Forum (NCF).

Napak Woman MP Faith Nakut was recently granted leave of Parliament to draft and present the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The Bill

The proposed amendment to the Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178, seeks to restrict government funding and access to other public resources to only those political parties and organisations represented in Parliament that are members of the NCF and actively participate in IPOD activities.

The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s largest opposition party, has repeatedly boycotted IPOD activities. If the amendment is enacted, NUP could lose its annual government funding for party operations.

The bill further aims to compel political parties to engage in dialogue as a strategy to strengthen democratic governance in Uganda. It also promotes open and constructive communication among parties represented in Parliament and seeks to establish a neutral platform for inter-party engagement.