Uganda’s High Court in Kampala refused an interim injunction sought by the National Unity Platform to stop a government directive that bars it from quarterly public funding. Justice Collins Acellam ruled there was no basis to preserve a status quo because the Electoral Commission had already sent the July to September 2025 funds to parties in the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue under an order by Justice Minister Norbert Mao dated Aug. 25, 2025.
NUP argued the move is unconstitutional and discriminatory and said the cut would cripple party operations, but the Attorney General’s office said the directive rests on amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act passed in May 2025 and signed on June 15. The court said disputes over the substance of the law belong in the main case, not in temporary relief, and noted that NUP’s exclusion flows from a statute enacted by Parliament rather than an arbitrary executive act. The underlying challenge, filed as Miscellaneous Cause No. 260 of 2025, seeks to nullify the 2025 amendments and remains pending. Legal analysts said the ruling could shape funding rules ahead of the 2026 elections.
NUP argued the move is unconstitutional and discriminatory and said the cut would cripple party operations, but the Attorney General’s office said the directive rests on amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act passed in May 2025 and signed on June 15. The court said disputes over the substance of the law belong in the main case, not in temporary relief, and noted that NUP’s exclusion flows from a statute enacted by Parliament rather than an arbitrary executive act. The underlying challenge, filed as Miscellaneous Cause No. 260 of 2025, seeks to nullify the 2025 amendments and remains pending. Legal analysts said the ruling could shape funding rules ahead of the 2026 elections.
