Museveni agrees to meet IPOD officials in Rwakitura

The agenda of the meeting was not disclosed even as other sources talked of a deliberate plan to cajole “progressive Opposition members” into some dialogue to unite the country.

IPOD was formed by political parties to enhance cooperation. However, the National Unity Platform (NUP), the main Opposition party in Parliament headed by Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine, has since snubbed the group.

The party accuses IPOD of negating the main objective-- strengthening multiparty democracy.

The President is expected to meet the secretaries  generals of NRM, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Justice Forum (Jeema), the Democratic Party (DP), Uganda Peoples Congress, and Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).

Mr Faruk Kirunda, the deputy presidential secretary, yesterday confirmed the meeting and the venue but declined to provide the details of the agenda.

“This Wednesday, H.E Yoweri Museveni will hold a meeting with secretaries general under the IPOD arrangement. This is part of efforts to promote democratic co-existence and stability in the country,” he said.

Mr Asumani Basalirwa, the Jeema president, and Mr Gerald Siranda, the secretary general of DP, had not received any communication regarding the meeting. Mr Nandala Mafabi, the FDC secretary general, and Mr Richard Todwong from the ruling party, were not available for a comment. 

However, Mr Siranda said they have been waiting for the meeting, adding that if confirmed, it will be a welcome move, especially now that Mr Museveni’s tenure as the chair is ending this month.

“I have not received any communication yet, but we have been waiting for this meeting for a long time. Mr Museveni is the chair and his NRM secretary general has been working on this plan of holding the meeting, so if it comes, I will attend and raise my issues there,” he said.

Although some IPOD members had not received invitation letters by yesterday, Mr Kirunda clarified that the meeting was sought by IPOD members and the President granted their request. 

He revealed that as State House, they are not in charge of invitation letters, it’s the mandate of IPOD leadership.

Key agenda in meeting

DP secretary general  Gerald Siranda:“The meeting will offer us a platform to know what happened to the previous agreements and their implementations. What happened to different political players? How many Opposition members have been released after they were arrested because we met and agreed on their release as IPOD.

What about the new MoU which is being drafted? We shall discuss these and many others and set grounds for further engagements.”

He added that as Mr Museveni’s tenure comes to an end, it was time to know how far he led the implementation of what they agreed upon previously.

“He has to brief all the parties on the progress of what he, together with the secretariat, did during his time. We shall also prepare to receive a new leader and handle the issues of new parties that may come on board. Last time we didn’t have some parties, but now we have PPP as a member. We may also have NUP, so we need to plan ahead,” Mr Siranda said.