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Mao: Government reserves IPOD funds for NUP, PFF
Mao told Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Wednesday that the Government was holding the resources due to the two opposition parties as efforts continued to facilitate their participation in IPOD.
Justice Minister Norbert Mao. (File)
By: Nelson Mandela Muhoozi, Journalist @New Vision
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Justice Minister Norbert Mao has revealed that the Government has reserved funding for the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), despite the parties not yet joining the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).
Mao told Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Wednesday that the Government was holding the resources due to the two opposition parties as efforts continued to facilitate their participation in IPOD.
He also proposed that NUP could formally join the dialogue platform through a circulation of minutes, a procedure that would allow party members to approve the decision without holding a physical meeting.
Mao said the proposal was intended to address the absence of NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, who is currently outside the country, while a similar arrangement could be considered for PFF, whose leader is in detention.
“The door to IPOD is open, but there are regulations that have to be complied with,” Mao told the committee. He further explained that under the proposed arrangement, NUP members could sign a resolution expressing their consent to join IPOD and have the documents delivered to Kyagulanyi wherever he is for his approval.
“The documents will reach him through DHL (a global logistics company) or any other means, and the members of his party will take responsibility to ensure that the documents reach him and he signifies his consent to the resolution,” Mao said.
He added that the same arrangement would apply to PFF, whose leader is currently in detention. “But I want to also put it on record that the resources due to these parties have been reserved,” Mao said.
The minister was appearing before COSASE, chaired by Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi, during an engagement with officials the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), among other entities, over matters arising from the Auditor General’s report on URSB liquidation for the financial year ended December 2025.
“The door to IPOD is open, but there are regulations that have to be complied with,” Mao told the committee. He further explained that under the proposed arrangement, NUP members could sign a resolution expressing their consent to join IPOD and have the documents delivered to Kyagulanyi wherever he is for his approval.
“The documents will reach him through DHL (a global logistics company) or any other means, and the members of his party will take responsibility to ensure that the documents reach him and he signifies his consent to the resolution,” Mao said.
He added that the same arrangement would apply to PFF, whose leader is currently in detention. “But I want to also put it on record that the resources due to these parties have been reserved,” Mao said.
The minister was appearing before COSASE, chaired by Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi, during an engagement with officials the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), among other entities, over matters arising from the Auditor General’s report on URSB liquidation for the financial year ended December 2025.
Mao also disclosed that the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs intends to propose amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act, arguing that changes made by the 11th Parliament had confused the roles of the National Consultative Forum and IPOD.
“As the Ministry of Justice, we have a proposal on how to improve on that amendment because it mixed up the National Consultative Forum with IPOD. And we think that was ill-advised,” he said.
Mao defended Government funding to political parties, saying it was intended to strengthen their independence and protect them from manipulation by individuals or external interests.
“The purpose of government funding to political parties was intended to insulate political parties from manipulation from people who may have ill intentions, particularly foreigners,” he said.
He argued that financial support to political parties was necessary to develop leadership across the political spectrum.
“As the Ministry of Justice, we have a proposal on how to improve on that amendment because it mixed up the National Consultative Forum with IPOD. And we think that was ill-advised,” he said.
Mao defended Government funding to political parties, saying it was intended to strengthen their independence and protect them from manipulation by individuals or external interests.
“The purpose of government funding to political parties was intended to insulate political parties from manipulation from people who may have ill intentions, particularly foreigners,” he said.
He argued that financial support to political parties was necessary to develop leadership across the political spectrum.