By Jumah Kakomo
The opposition Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party president, Jimmy Michael Akena, has strongly criticized the proposed Political Parties and Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2025, describing it as “diabolical” and unconstitutional. Akena warns that the bill threatens political pluralism and aims to weaken opposition parties by placing them under government control.
On May 13, 2025, Parliament granted Faith Loru Nakut, the Woman MP for Napak, leave to introduce the bill. The proposed amendment seeks to restrict government funding only to political parties and organizations represented in Parliament that are also members of the National Consultative Forum (NCF). If passed into law, parties not subscribed to the NCF will be excluded from public funding.
The bill further proposes the establishment of two new organs within the NCF:
- The Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD), consisting of political parties with parliamentary representation.
- The Forum for Non-Represented Political Parties and Organizations, comprising parties without representation in Parliament.
The proposed legislation outlines several functions for IPOD, including fostering inter-party dialogue, promoting communication among parties, advising the government on policy, and serving as a neutral platform for engagement. The stated goal of the bill is to enhance transparency, accountability, and equitable access to public funding among political actors.
However, the bill has met strong opposition from various political stakeholders, including UPC president Akena. He argues that the amendment would force political parties to operate under a government-controlled body, compromising their independence and democratic function.
Akena also cautioned that altering the current framework could derail the spirit of dialogue among political parties, increase political polarization, and destabilize Uganda’s multiparty system. He stressed the vital role of IPOD in building trust and cooperation among political actors, urging for a national conversation on equitable political financing before any legislative changes are made.
