By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
An application for an interim injunction restraining the Electoral Commission from implementing a directive by the Minister for Constitutional Affairs to exclude any Political Party that does not belong to IPOD from Statutory funding filed by NUP has been dismissed.
The Application filed on 22nd September, 2025 by Uganda’s biggest Opposition Party, NUP was dismissed by Justice Collins Acellam on Wednesday, 29th October, 2025.
NUP had sought the interim injunction challenging Nobert Mao’s directive to the Electoral Commission dated 25th August, 2025 to the effect that any Political Party that does not subscribe to IPOD is not entitled to statutory funding.
The directive follows an Act of Parliament amending the Political Parties Act and was assented to by President Museveni to the effect that only Political Parties subscribing to IPOD qualify for statutory funding. Previously, the Political Parties and other Organisations Act mandated government to fund parties with representation in Parliament.
In the last elections, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which has majority representation in Parliament, received Shs17b; National Unity Platform (NUP) got Shs3.1b, and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) received Shs1.7b.
Other political parties that received the money include Democratic Party (DP) (Shs485m), Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) (Shs485m), Justice Forum (Jeema) (Shs53m), and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) (Shs53m).
In his ruling, Justice Acellam notes that the application is overtaken by events since the funds have already been disbursed by the Electoral Commission to the Political Parties subscribing to IPOD.
He also avers that NUP does not and has always refused to join or participate in IPOD activities until as recent as 7th October, 20215 after the EC had already disbursed the funds therefore EC’s decision to exclude it from the funding is grounded in LAW.
“In addition it will be unjust and unfair for this Honourable Court to issue such an order as it would disrupt the operationalization of the law to the benefit of the Political Parties that are already members of the Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue,” rules Justice Acellam.
