The opposition political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), is set to miss out on Shs7.5 billion—funding that each political party with representation in Parliament is supposed to receive from the Electoral Commission (EC).
This follows a directive from Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao, instructing the Electoral Commission to suspend all public funding to political parties until new statutory instruments are enacted under the recently amended Political Parties and Organisations Act.
In a letter dated 2 July 2025, addressed to EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, Mao referenced the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Act, which was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni on 15 June 2025. The amended legislation restricts government funding to only those political parties that are members of the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) and actively participate in its activities.
“Government shall only provide funds or other public resources to a political party… if the political party is a member of the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue,” states Section 2 of the amended law.
Mao emphasised that with the law now in force, the Electoral Commission has “no legal basis” to continue disbursing funds without the corresponding statutory instruments to guide its implementation.
“I request you not to disburse any funds to political parties until you hear from me,” Mao wrote, assuring that his ministry would conclude consultations and process the required statutory instruments within three weeks.
The political parties currently within the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) in Uganda are: the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Democratic Party (DP), Justice Forum (JEEMA), and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
NUP is not currently participating in IPOD despite having representation in Parliament. Earlier this week, President Yoweri Museveni, who is the current chairperson of IPOD, held a meeting at State House attended by all political parties in IPOD—except NUP.
NUP has consistently stated that it cannot engage with Museveni unless the discussion centres on a peaceful transfer of power.
Due to the party’s inactivity in IPOD, the government will not allocate the mandated Shs7.5 billion it is entitled to during the election period.
According to the new amendments, each political party that has representation in Parliament and is active in IPOD will receive equal funding from the government during the election period.
