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NIMD Fostering Multiparty Democracy in Uganda

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NIMD Fostering Multiparty Democracy in Uganda NIMD fostering multiparty democracy in Uganda The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) works to promote peaceful, justice and inclusive politics worldwide. Today, as the organisation is celebrating 10 years of operations in Uganda, Daily Monitor’s Paul Murungi, spoke to Mr Frank Rusa, the Country Representative who also doubles as the Executive Secretary of Inter- Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) Council. Below are the excerpts: political platform. We have therefore, for the last shape the agenda and give technical support. I build dialogue, you have to continue building trust 10 years, focused on working with political parties provide support to the secretariat to ensure that I by showing concern over the issues raised. I need to build internal organisational mechanisms for oversee that staff is responding well to programme to tell you that the current chairman of the IPOD conflict resolution, strong accounting systems, objectives and outcomes that we seek to achieve Summit, Mr Asuman Basalirwa has been going robust women and youth leagues, and the way in Uganda. around political parties calling for another summit, political parties should function. and he has informed me that the FDC president, Uganda’s multiparty political landscape has Mr Patrick Oboi Amuriat has expressed willingness Tell us more about the composition of Inter- grown exponentially since 2005 to include many to attend the next summit, so I believe with time, Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD). political parties. Why is it that some political we will build trust and parties’ commitment shall In 2009 IPOD was formed on a Memorandum of parties are not part of IPOD? increase. Frank Rusa Understanding signed by six political parties that The Electoral Commission has close to 30 political included; Democratic Party, Conservative Party, parties at the last count, but many of these have Country What challenges have you faced since coming National Resistance Movement, Justice Forum, not demonstrated serious activities on the political Representative to Uganda? Forum for Democratic Change and Uganda landscape. Because of limited resources, we The biggest challenge we had at the beginning People’s Change. After its formation, it requested thought it was good to work with parties that have was being an international NGO, there existed Give a condensed background of Netherlands NIMD, to offer it a secretariat as host to facilitate a representation in Parliament since it demonstrates some suspicion especially for those of us working Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD). the dialogue. a certain level of seriousness. This is also enshrined in politics and governance-based issues. Some NIMD is an independent international non- IPOD has three organs and at the top of the IPOD in the IPOD MoU, which states that membership people thought we were pushing an agenda of a governmental organisation working in 20 countries structure is the IPOD Summit as the highest decision shall depend on those who are represented in foreign country. spanning across four continents in Europe, Africa, making organ, composed of the presidents at the Parliament. But our biggest advantage has been neutrality South America, and North America. Its focus is on apex of the five political parties. Their MoU limits who can be part, that’s why when and impartiality around the world. NIMD built on two broad areas of supporting interparty dialogue Below, is the IPOD council of secretary generals JEEMA won the Bugiri Municipality seat, they had its experience having worked in the most difficult processes and strengthening the organisational bringing together all secretary generals of member an automatic seat at IPOD. parts of the world, for instance, we have been in capacities of political parties to become effective parties with three other delegates, including one Zimbabwe, even during Robert Mugabe’s time. contributors to national development and social woman. The council is responsible for the core In the past, there has been a boycott of IPOD We are in Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi and cohesion in the country. business of the organisation where key discussions activities by some member parties, why did this Mozambique. NIMD was founded 2000 by seven Dutch political are held and resolutions made. happen and which measures have you taken to I have also learnt that politics needs patience, you parties across the political divide with different After making resolutions in the council, they are deal with this challenge? can’t expect results overnight. For instance, for the ideologies and orientations, but they chose to taken to the Summit for adoption. The secretariat is In our first five years of IPOD, a lot of effort was last two years, we have been working with the Prime work together to promote and support growing the technical arm of IPOD hosted at NIMD. geared towards electoral reform proposals, but Minister to facilitate the improvement of the Public democracies. The release of Nelson Mandela in they were never implemented in Parliament. Order Management Act (POMA), it took long to be 1990 and the subsequent role that Netherlands’ As a country representative, what key roles do Therefore, some members felt there was lack of tabled in Parliament and court judgments overtook political parties played in supporting a young you play within NIMD and IPOD? good will and lack of commitment, yet the MoU events. democracy in South Africa inspired its formation. My key role is to take a lead in relationship building that brings political parties together, in legal terms, This can be frustrating to different actors when between NIMD, the government of Uganda and expect members to exercise utmost good will in results take long to be realised. But resolving What is your organisational structure? political parties. the framework. NIMD in Uganda is led by the country such issues take protracted negotiations, but the I also lead in fundraising for our beneficiary political One of the parties that felt aggrieved was FDC struggle is always worthwhile. representative, seconded by programme managers parties, and in that regard, I’m an intermediary which didn’t attend the two organised summits. and programme officers dealing in coordination between political parties and the donor community The reason behind was because they wanted a clear How do you balance between politics of the organisation activities. We also have a who are interested in supporting democracy. demonstration of commitment on the part of NRM and nurturing a good relationship with finance and administration team. This is a team of My role as the secretary to the IPOD organ requires to implement earlier resolutions agreed upon. government? committed staff that deals with secretarial support me to attend all the meetings to take minutes, At NIMD, we have held serious conversations to The government of Uganda has laid several for IPOD organs. commitments in the National Development When did you set foot in Uganda and what key Plan and Constitution, the ruling party has also interests did you have in the country’s political democracy as one of its pillars in its ideology. space at the time? At NIMD, we cherish democratic values and maintain We set foot in Uganda in 2010, five years after a high level of transparency, working closely with the Uganda had adopted a multiparty system through a Prime Minister and secretary generals of political referendum. We had accepted a multiparty system parties. We ensure the government is aware about in principal but not in practice. Parties were also all our operations. We also file our returns with the not well organised and facilitated. NGO board and its clear, whatever is done, is for This influenced political parties to approach NIMD political parties. and invited them to come to Uganda mainly for Who are your donors and what has been their two issues; to help them set up a dialogue platform role in widening the democratic participation for political parties to work together and support process in the country? the organisational strength and development for Our key donor is the Netherlands Ministry of political parties. Foreign Affairs, which has been key in supporting From our wealth of experience, we realised political us with grants since the beginning. Another key parties in most of Africa and the third world; young donor is the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), democracies have exhibited the tendencies of composed of a consortium of seven development politics revolving around personality cults, and partners who include the governments of Austria, the political party doesn’t grow to build a robust Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, The European Union, and Ireland. council meetings, and a successful summit at discussions to bridge the gap between the young to implement the gender action plans to increase Beyond the financial support, our donors have Protea Hotel. This has increased mutual trust and and old, leadership development, youth political the number of women to a much higher level, and also demonstrated key interest in the deepening willingness to collaborate on joint lobbying among mentorship, and gender action plans. From all the support youth in implementing the Youth Political of democracy through constant engagement with member parties through the council meetings. five political parties, over 13,000 youths have had Memorandum. political parties and government. The organisation also conducts peer learnings their capacity built in a plethora of the key focus The
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