By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA:
Conservative Party (CP) has closed its headquarters on Kisozi Complex citing lack of money to run party activities and rent.
According to the party deputy Secretary General Alfred Kasozi, the decision to close down party offices in Kampala and other regional offices follow financial constraints faced by the party.
He was however quick to note that the closure is for a short time as they source for possible funders.
Kasozi explains that they spend more than Shillings 20m monthly on rent for the party headquarters, administrator’s allowances, political analyst, and other activities. Kasozi says that they spend an estimated more than Shillings 240m every year.
“We used to get €4000 (Shillings 16.5m shillings) from Democratic Governance Facility – DGF and Shillings 48M from the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Party Democracy – NIMD when we still had representation in parliament, but this has for the last two terms stopped because we have not had any representation in parliament,” he said.
He said that CP cannot be member to the Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) to qualify for funding from the NIMD.
This comes at a time when government of Uganda is in bitter terms with DGF with latter accusing the former of funding political activities in the January elections that has affected the funding of political parties and other non-governmental organizations.
CP says that they are planning to start grass-root mobilization as one of the mechanisms to raise funds and identify new funders.
Kasozi said the Central Executive Committee will meet to draw a full budget and lay down the strategies for raising the funds needed.
CP is one of Uganda’s oldest political parties and has participated in various presidential and parliamentary elections. The party has been running offices in Amuru, Arua, Mbale, Rubirizi and Mukono among others.
It should be recalled that on Thursday CP joined other opposition political parties under the Peoples Front for Transition under the leadership of Dr. Kiiza Besigye to foster a transition struggle against President Museveni and his regime.
The new front was launched at the Justice Forum (JEEMA) headquarters in Mengo.
