The Republic Of Uganda
Protocol Of Inter-Party Cooperation

THIS PROTOCOL OF INTER-PARTY COOPERATION is made on this 5th day of August 2008

BETWEEN:

1. The CONSERVATIVE PARTY a Political Party duly registered under the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2002 of P. O. Box 5145 Kampala (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as "CP").
2. The DEMOCRATIC PARTY a Political Party duly registered under the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2002 of P. O. Box 7098 Kampala (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as "DP").
3. The FORUM FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE a Political Party duly registered under the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2002 of P. O. Box 26928 Kampala (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as "FDC").
4. The JUSTICE FORUM a Political Party duly registered under the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2002 of P. O. Box 28518 Kampala (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as "JEEMA") and;
5. The UGANDA PEOPLES CONGRESS a Political Party duly registered under the Political Parties and Organisations Act, 2002 of P. O. Box 37047, Kampala (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as "UPC").

WHEREAS:

1. CP, DP, FDC, JEEMA and UPC (hereinafter called "the participating Political Parties") have previously cooperated and successfully campaigned for the return of multiparty democratic governance in Uganda under the umbrella of the G. 7 and later G. 6, with the latest umbrella having come to an end.
2. The NRM Government has through its constitutional, legal, administrative, economic and security measures and other manipulations made it very difficult for the full realization of free and open multiparty democratic governance in Uganda and the country risks being plunged into political, economic and social chaos;
3. There is need for the participating Political Parties to cooperate and rescue Uganda from collapsing into a failed state.
4. The CHANGE INITIATIVE LIMITED (CIL), with the support of the CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC INTERNATIONAL CENTRE (KIC) has been designated by the participating Political Parties to act as a secretariat of the Cooperation of the participating Political Parties.

NOW IT IS AGREED as follows:

1. FORMATION OF COOPERATION
1. The participating political parties hereby form and constitute a Cooperation of Political Parties in Uganda to undertake all acts that fall in the objectives set out in clause 2 below.
2. At an appropriate time the Summit of the Cooperating Political Parties shall decide on the name of the Co-operation.
2. OBJECTIVES OF COOPERATION
   The participating political parties shall cooperate in the following areas:
1. Advocacy and campaigns for the removal of all constitutional, legal, electoral, administrative, economic, security and any other form of obstacle to the full realization of free and open democratic multiparty governance in Uganda.
2. To identify all areas of national life (political economic, social or otherwise) where there is urgent need for corrective action to be taken by government and to jointly campaign and take all such action to bring pressure to bear on government to take such corrective action.
3. To identify common policy positions on aspects of the national economic, political and social life and adopt a common approach to realizing those positions.
4. To explore possibilities of adopting a common electoral platform for the 2011 general elections, and if such common electoral platform is agreed, to enter into an additional protocol for that purpose as soon as possible.
5. To do all such other things as the participating Political Parties shall deem expedient and necessary for attaining any of the above objectives or which they shall deem mutually beneficial to them or Uganda.
3. STRUCTURES OF THE COOPERATION
   The Cooperation shall be effected through the following structures:
1. The Summit
1. This shall be composed of the Presidents/ President General's of the Participating Political Parties, and one other person chosen by the President/President General from each of the participating Political Parties preferably the Party Secretary General.
2. The summit shall be chaired by one of the Presidents/President General elected by the summit and the chair shall rotate among the participating Political Parties every three months.
3. The Summit shall be the supreme policy decision making body of the Cooperation.
2. The Steering Committee
1. The Steering Committee shall be composed of two representatives chosen and designated by each participating Political Party. The chairperson of CIL shall be an ex-officio member of the Steering Committee.
2. The overall responsibility of the Steering Committee is to design, coordinate and execute the work plan of the Cooperation.
3. The Steering Committee may set up any such Sub-committee to handle any specific assignment of the Steering Committee.
4. The Steering Committee shall with the approval of the Summit make regulations to determine its procedures PROVIDED that decisions should as far as possible be reached by consensus.
5. The Steering Committee shall report to the Summit.
3. The Secretariat
1. The Cooperation shall be facilitated in its day to day activities by a Secretariat manned by CIL.
2. In its role as a Secretariat, CIL shall:
3. Receive and manage from KIC and other organizations of a similar nature all such experience, information and knowledge regarding formation and management of political cooperation and alliances and disseminate all such experience, information and knowledge to all participating political parties.
4. Keep and maintain proper books of account of the resources of the Cooperation including bank accounts whose signatories shall be two CIL officials plus one signatory from each Political Party with at least one CIL signatory together with three other signatories from the participating political parties having the mandate to sign valid cheques or instruments.
5. Keep all records and properties of the Cooperation.
4. MEMBERS RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
1. Rights
   All members of the Cooperation shall at all times enjoy the following rights
1. The right to recognition and respect of their separate identities as political parties.
2. The right to full participation in all organs and structures of the Cooperation and all their activities in accordance with this protocol, including participation in decision making.
3. The right to access information in the custody of the organs and structures of the Cooperation including the Secretariat.
4. The right to be treated fairly and honestly by all other members.
5. The right to withdraw in writing from the Cooperation.
2. Obligations
   All members of the Cooperation shall at all times have a duty to:-
1. To act with respect and in utmost good faith towards each other and in all activities of the Cooperation.
2. To render total commitment to all the aims and objectives of the Cooperation.
3. To act with dignity and responsibility and to avoid all acts and omissions that would directly or indirectly undermine the credibility of any member or the aims and objectives of the Cooperation.
4. To protect the good name and image of the Cooperation.
5. To contribute resources to the Cooperation.
6. To avoid engaging in activities that would lead to unnecessary competition between the members on matters that affect the Cooperation.
5. FUNDING OF THE COOPERATION
1. The funds of the cooperation shall be derived from:-
1. Contributions from the members
2. Donations
3. Any other lawful source.
2. In the utilization of funds all organs and structures of the Cooperation shall develop guidelines that ensure compliance with the following principles:-
1. Transparency and full written accountability.
2. Value for money.
6. NEW MEMBERS
   The participating political parties may in their unfettered discretion admit upon a written application any other political party to the Cooperation if it meets the following criteria, namely:
1. The Party is registered under the law.
2. The Party has held its National Delegates Conference (or other supreme organ of the Party) in the last five years.
3. The Party has a known physical address.
4. The Party has a functional Secretariat.
5. The Party follows its Constitution.
6. The Party has participated in at least one national general election or a number of Parliamentary and District by-elections.
7. The Party is ready to abide with the objectives of the Cooperation.
8. The party is not otherwise allied in anyway to another political party not a member of the Cooperation.
9. The Party has been approved by Two Thirds majority of the members of the Summit of the Cooperation.
7. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
   In case any disagreement arises between any members of the Cooperation, whether directly related to the work of the Cooperation or would indirectly impact on the smooth execution of the mandate of the Cooperation, such disagreement shall be resolved following the procedures below:-
1. The leaders of the concerned Political Parties or their designated representatives shall meet to amicably resolve the dispute.
2. In case the leaders cannot resolve the dispute, they shall refer it to the Summit of the Cooperation for resolution.
3. At all times when the dispute is under management for resolution, all members of the Cooperation shall avoid public discussion of the dispute.
8. AMENDMENT OF THE PROTOCOL
   The Summit shall have powers to amend this Protocol in writing by resolution signed by at least one of the leaders of each participating Political Parties.
9. DISSOLUTION OF THE COOPERATION
   The Summit may agree to dissolve the Cooperation and in such event the Summit shall determine the terms of such dissolution including succession as to the assets and liabilities of the Cooperation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the authorized signatories of the Cooperation have put their respective hands hereunto the day and year first above written.

SIGNED and SEALED by the 	}	____________
CONSERVATIVE PARTY  	}	PRESIDENT 
}	GENERAL 
In the presence of:


SIGNED and SEALED by the 	}	___________
DEMOCRATIC PARTY  	}	PRESIDENT 
}	
In the presence of:


SIGNED and SEALED by the 	}	___________
FORUM FOR DEMOCRATIC   	}	PRESIDENT 
CHANGE 					}		 
In the presence of:


SIGNED and SEALED by the 	}	___________
JUSTICE FORUM 	}	PRESIDENT 
In the presence of:                          }

SIGNED and SEALED by the 	}	___________
UGANDA PEOPLES CONGRESS	}	PRESIDENT 
In the presence of:                          }