IPOD: Political parties commit to dialogue

Political parties, under their umbrella organization Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) have agreed to resolve their political differences through dialogue.

In a two day meeting at Silver Springs Hotel, the parties, which included the NRM, FDC, DP, and UPC, mainly represented by their secretary generals and a few members noted that it was only through peaceful dialogue that parties can resolve their immediate political contestations.

The meeting, the first after the 2016 general election was also attended by other stakeholders who included religious leaders, elders and civil society organizations.

During the meeting, the participants said there is need for  an inclusive approach, which will see IPOD engage more actively with civil society, the country's elders, religious leaders, and the relevant departments of government in fostering a shared agenda for political and policy change.

According to Christine Nakirya, the programme Manager Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) Uganda, one of the development partners , the members acknowledged the prevailing political tensions and called for immediate engagement.

"When it came to discussing the current political environment, members said there is need for immediate engagement to mitigate the negative impact this situation might bring," she said.

Sources that attended the meeting told New Vision that during the meeting, party members put the NRM Party Secretary General Kasule Lumumba to task to explain why the ruling party most often backtracks and does not implement most of the agreed upon positions.

FDC Secretary General Nandala Mafabi reportedly complained that whereas in the previous meetings the meeting discussed and agreed on a number of things including the electoral reforms, the NRM backtracked when the issues were taken to Parliament.

Mafabi, who is also the current chair of IPOD, underscored the central responsibility of political parties in leading the dialogue processes and called on the parties to address the existing political questions whilst attending to broader development issues.

Sources further said FDC vice president western region Patrick Baguma reportedly complained about the arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye, the Party's 2016 presidential candidate.

"How can we sit and have dialogue when our party presidential candidate is in Prison?  Is this surely dialogue? " he reportedly asked.

In one of the IPOD meetings last year, FDC threatened to pull out after raising complaints that the ruling party does not implement a number of issues agreed upon.

Founded in 2010, IPOD is consortium of political parties represented in Parliament which includes the NRM, FDC, DP, and UPC. It was initiated by development partners to bring those parties to a round table to generate consensus on various issues of national importance.

IPOD executive secretary Tenthan Kizito in a statement said the two day meeting was held under the theme "Beyond the 2016 elections; repositioning for inclusive dialogue and sustainable peace for development.''

In a statement read on his behalf by Lumumba, Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda welcomed the IPOD dialogue mission and reiterated government's commitment and openness to engage with the opposition political actors.

"By and large, the Conference offered a platform for a level-headed dialogue and contributed towards the healing from the electoral process whilst generating ideas for a peaceful and constructive way forward," he said.

"The evolving national peace policy, currently forerun by the Office of the Prime Minister was seen as a timely tool for reconciliation and sustainable peace building: the IPOD political parties committed to making an input to the policy's development," he added.

The meeting resolved to avail space to diverse actors to connect with political leaders—as the eventual decision-maker—in a process that ultimately seeks to build a vibrant multiparty democracy.