I'm Not Interested In Meeting Him!! Museveni Allegedly Blocks Bobi Wine from IPOD Summit as Party Presidents Meet at Kololo

Uganda’s political spotlight will once again fall on Kololo Ceremonial Grounds this Thursday, September 18th, as presidents of FDC, NRM, DP, UPC, JEEMA, and PPP gather for the Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) Summit. The meeting has been convened by President Yoweri Museveni in his role as NRM Chairman, since his party currently holds the rotational leadership of IPOD.

One noticeable absence from the list of invited leaders is that of National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. Sources have revealed that Museveni personally instructed the IPOD Secretariat not to extend an invitation to him.

The reason behind this exclusion, according to Museveni, lies in NUP’s refusal to enroll for IPOD membership. Under the recently amended law governing political parties, those who fail to register cannot be recognized as members, making NUP ineligible to take part in IPOD activities.

At the meeting, Museveni is set to hold discussions with Asuman Basalirwa of JEEMA, Norbert Mao of DP, Jimmy Akena of UPC, Saddam Gayira of PPP, and Patrick Oboi Amuriat of FDC. These conversations will cover critical issues affecting Uganda’s political space.

Key among the topics will be how security agencies like the police can enforce the Public Order Management Act without limiting the ability of political party presidents and parliamentary candidates to freely campaign across the country. This is a particularly sensitive matter as Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections.

Another major item on the agenda is the allocation of IPOD funding. Party leaders are expected to thank Museveni for agreeing that the Shs45 billion earmarked for political financing will be shared equally among parties with parliamentary representation, instead of being based on numerical strength.

This move has been welcomed by many opposition leaders, especially because 2026 is an election year when all parties will need financial support to run their activities. Each party president will also be accompanied by a strong delegation of their top officials to the Summit.

As is tradition at such high-level meetings, there will also be an official group photo session involving all party presidents. However, this has been a source of contention, as NUP has always opposed such photo opportunities, claiming they are used to boost Museveni’s public image and grant him false legitimacy.

Meanwhile, Museveni’s political future remains in focus. He is expected to contest again in 2026, seeking his ninth term as Uganda’s president, a move that has already stirred political debate across the country.

By continuing to boycott IPOD meetings, NUP risks losing out on not only the Shs45 billion funding but also other benefits such as arrears from the 2020/2021 campaign period. Museveni has promised to pay these arrears with interest, but only to parties that are officially part of IPOD — leaving Bobi Wine’s NUP locked out of both the talks and the benefits.