NUP Writes to IPOD, Expresses Interest in Joining After Law Amendments

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has formally written to the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) expressing interest in joining the platform, following recent amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act that make membership in IPOD mandatory for all political parties represented in Parliament.

In a letter dated October 7, 2025, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya informed IPOD of the party’s intention to participate in the organization’s activities in compliance with the new legal requirements.

“We are ready to sign the IPOD Memorandum of Understanding as we await the Constitutional Court’s decision on our petition,” Rubongoya stated in the letter.

The decision comes just days after NUP filed a case in the Constitutional Court challenging what it termed as the government’s unfair withholding of political party funding.

NUP’s latest move marks a shift in stance, as the opposition party had previously distanced itself from IPOD, arguing that it was being used to legitimize what it called a “non-functional” political dialogue process under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

The Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue brings together political parties with representation in Parliament to foster dialogue, consensus-building, and cooperation on key national issues. Other member parties include NRM, FDC, JEEMA, and DP.

Analysts say NUP’s decision could reshape opposition dynamics ahead of future political engagements, particularly as the party continues to push for electoral and governance reforms.