Parliament has commenced deliberations on the Political Parties and Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following its presentation by Hon. Faith Nakut, the Woman Representative for Napak District, during a plenary session chaired by Speaker Anita Among on Wednesday, 14 May 2025.
On Tuesday, 13 May 2025, Hon. Nakut had submitted a motion under Rules 127 and 128 of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, seeking permission to table the Private Member’s Bill intended to revise the Political Parties and Organizations Act, Cap. 178.
The proposed amendments seek to institutionalize two entities under the National Consultative Forum (NCF) the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) and a Forum for Political Parties and Organizations Without Parliamentary Representation. The Bill also aims to define the mandate of IPOD and clarify the eligibility criteria for state funding to political entities.
At present, Section 14 of the Act allows for government financing only to political parties with representation in Parliament. However, Hon. Nakut contended that the current law does not oblige these parties to demonstrate commitment to democratic ideals such as tolerance, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence as prerequisites for accessing public funds.
“To enhance the effectiveness of the National Consultative Forum, we must create structures that represent the interests of both represented and unrepresented political entities,” she noted.
She further emphasized, “Ensuring transparency, accountability, and fair access to public resources requires that political organizations uphold democratic standards before benefiting from state support.”
The primary goal of the Bill is to limit access to public funding and other government resources to only those political parties and organizations that are registered members of the National Consultative Forum.
The Bill outlines the roles and responsibilities of IPOD as fostering dialogue among political parties to strengthen democratic governance, supporting information-sharing among parties with parliamentary seats, advising the state on policy issues while promoting a democratic political climate, and offering an impartial space for interaction between parties of varied ideologies.
Additionally, the Bill proposes that only political parties and organizations that opt to join IPOD will qualify for government funding and access to public assets.
