Politics of Uganda

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The politics of Uganda occurs in an authoritarian context. Since assuming office in 1986 at the end of the Ugandan civil war, Yoweri Museveni has ruled Uganda as an autocrat. [1] [2] Political parties were banned from 1986 to 2006 in the wake of the 2005 Ugandan multi-party referendum which was won by pro-democracy forces. [1] Since 2006, Museveni has used legal means, patronage, and violence to maintain power. [1]

Contents

Under the Uganda constitution, Uganda is a presidential republic in which the President is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government business. There is a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is given to both the government and the National Assembly. The system is based on a democratic parliamentary system with equal rights for all citizens over 18 years of age. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Uganda a " hybrid regime " in 2022. [3] [ needs update ]

Political culture

Idi Amin, one of the most notable of Ugandan presidents. Idi Amin at UN (United Nations, New York) gtfy.00132 (cropped).jpg
Idi Amin, one of the most notable of Ugandan presidents.

After taking power after a five-year civil war in 1986, the authoritarian Yoweri Museveni regime banned political parties from campaigning in elections or field candidates directly (although electoral candidates could belong to political parties). A constitutional referendum canceled this 19-year ban on multi-party politics in July 2005.[ citation needed ]

Presidential elections were held in February 2006. Museveni ran against several candidates, of whom the most prominent was the exiled Dr. Kizza Besigye. Museveni was declared the winner. Besigye alleged fraud, and rejected the result. The Supreme Court of Uganda ruled that the election was marred by intimidation, violence, voter disenfranchisement, and other irregularities. However, the Court voted 4-3 to uphold the results of the election. [4]

Executive

Yoweri Museveni, current President of Uganda. Yoweri Museveni.jpg
Yoweri Museveni, current President of Uganda.
Main office-holders
OfficeNamePartySince
President Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement 26 January 1986
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja National Resistance Movement 21 June 2021

The head of state in Uganda is the President, who is elected by a popular vote to a five-year term. This is currently Yoweri Museveni, who is also the head of the armed forces. The previous presidential elections were in February 2011, and in the election of February 2016, Museveni was elected with 68 percent of the vote. The cabinet is appointed by the president from among the elected legislators. The prime minister, Robina Nabbanja, assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet.[ citation needed ]

The Cabinet of Uganda, according to the Constitution of Uganda, "shall consist of the President, the Vice President and such number of Ministers as may appear to the President to be reasonably necessary for the efficient running of the State." [5] [6]

Ministries of Uganda

The below are the ministries in Uganda: [7]

Political parties and elections

Presidential elections

The structure of Uganda's government. GovPic.png
The structure of Uganda's government.

The most recent presidential elections in Uganda were held on 14 January 2021 featuring 11 aspirants comprising 10 men and 1 woman.

The announced but contested results are as follows;

Candidates' NamesVotesPercentage
Amuriat Oboi Patrick337,5893.26%
Kabuleta Kiiza Joseph45,4240.44%
Kalembe Nancy Linda38,7720.37%
Katumba John37,5540.36%
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu 3,631,43735.08%
Mao Norbert 57,6820.56%
Mayambala Willy15,0140.15%
Mugisha Muntu Gregg67,5740.65%
Mwesigye Fred25,4830.25%
Tumukunde Henry Kakurugu51,3920.50%
Yoweri Museveni6,042,89858.38%
Invalid Votes393,5003.66%
Valid Votes10,350,819

Source: Uganda Electoral Commission [8]

In 2021, the pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine (also known as Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu), challenged the election results in the country's highest court (Supreme Court) seeking to over-turn Museveni's victory. [9] The highly contested elections was marred with violence, the European Parliament voiced outrage, condemnation and for sanctions against individuals and organisations responsible for human rights violations in Uganda. [10]

The results of the most recent presidential election from 2021 are as below:

CandidatePartyVotes%
Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement 6,042,89858.38
Bobi Wine National Unity Platform 3,631,43735.08
Patrick Amuriat Forum for Democratic Change 337,5893.26
Mugisha Muntu Alliance for National Transformation 67,5740.65
Norbert Mao Democratic Party 57,6820.56
Henry Tumukunde Independent51,3920.50
Joseph Kabuleta Independent45,4240.44
Nancy KalembeIndependent38,7720.37
John Katumba Independent37,5540.36
Fred Mwesigye Independent25,4830.25
Willy MayambalaIndependent15,0140.15
Total10,350,819100.00
Valid votes10,350,81996.34
Invalid/blank votes393,5003.66
Total votes10,744,319100.00
Registered voters/turnout18,103,60359.35
Source: ECU

Parliamentary elections

The results of the most recent parliamentary election from 2021 are as below:

Ouganda Parlement 2021.svg
PartyConstituencyWomenSeats
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsAppointedTotal+/–
National Resistance Movement 4,158,93441.602184,532,81444.8110117336+42
National Unity Platform 1,347,92913.48431,607,42515.8914057New
Forum for Democratic Change 729,2477.2924674,1546.668032–4
Democratic Party 245,2482.458181,3641.79109–6
Uganda People's Congress 180,3131.807229,8842.27209+3
Alliance for National Transformation 72,0180.72082,3180.81000New
Justice Forum 24,8430.25122,6250.22001+1
People's Progressive Party 10,0760.10101+1
Uganda Economic Party6,1990.06000New
Ecological Party of Uganda4,2870.04000New
Conservative Party 1,0710.010000
Social Democratic Party7190.010000
Forum for Integrity in Leadership1220.00000New
Congress Service Volunteers Organisation680.00000New
Independents3,217,48032.18512,785,67627.5420374+8
Uganda People's Defence Force 10100
Total9,998,554100.0035310,116,260100.0014630529+103
Source: Electoral Commission

Judiciary

The Ugandan judiciary operates as an independent branch of government and consists of magistrate's courts, high courts, courts of appeal (which organizes itself as the Constitutional Court of Uganda when hearing constitutional issues), and the Supreme Court. Judges for the High Court are appointed by the president; Judges for the Court of Appeal are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature.[ citation needed ]

Foreign relations

A fight between the Ugandan and Libyan presidential guards sparked chaos during a ceremony attended by the heads of state from 11 African nations on March 19, 2008. [11]

International organization participation

See also

Related Research Articles

The history of Uganda comprises the history of the people who inhabited the territory of present-day Uganda before the establishment of the Republic of Uganda, and the history of that country once it was established. Evidence from the Paleolithic era shows humans have inhabited Uganda for at least 50,000 years. The forests of Uganda were gradually cleared for agriculture by people who probably spoke Central Sudanic languages. The Empire of Kitara grew out of the Urewe culture in the 10th century. Following the migration and invasion of Luo peoples c. 15th century, Kitara would collapse, and from the ashes rose various Biito kingdoms such as Bunyoro alongside Buganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoweri Museveni</span> President of the Uganda since 1986

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa is a Ugandan politician and military officer who is the ninth and current president of Uganda since 1986. As of 2024, he is the third-longest consecutively serving current non-royal national leader in the world. His government is considered autocratic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Uganda (1979–1986)</span>

The History of Uganda from 1979 to 1986 comprises the history of Uganda since the end of the dictatorship of Idi Amin. This period has seen the second rule of Milton Obote and the presidency of Yoweri Museveni since 1986, in which Ugandan politics have been dominated by the National Resistance Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Resistance Movement</span> Political party in Uganda

The National Resistance Movement has been the ruling party in Uganda since 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Uganda</span>

The Uganda Electoral Commission (EC) provides national elections for a president and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term. The Parliament is composed of members directly elected to represent constituencies, and one woman representative for every district; as well representatives of special interest groups, including the army, youth, workers and persons with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forum for Democratic Change</span> Political party in Uganda

The Forum for Democratic Change, founded on 16 December 2004, is the main opposition party in Uganda. The FDC was founded as an umbrella body called Reform Agenda, mostly for disenchanted former members and followers of President Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM). Party president Kizza Besigye, formerly a close ally of Museveni, was a candidate in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 presidential elections. In November 2012, Mugisha Muntu was elected as President of the FDC until November 2017 when he was defeated by Patrick Oboi Amuriat the current party President until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human rights in Uganda</span>

Human rights in Uganda have trended for the past decades towards increasing harassment of the opposition, cracking down on NGOs which work on election and term limits, corruption, land rights, environmental issues, womens, children and gay rights. In 2012, the Relief Web sponsored Humanitarian Profile – 2012 said Uganda made considerable developments Since at least 2013 the Freedom in the World report by Freedom House has identified Uganda as a country considered to be "Not Free".There are several areas of concern when it comes to human rights in Uganda, and the "Not Free" classification is due to both low political rights and civil liberties rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kizza Besigye</span> Ugandan politician

Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe, known as Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye, is a Ugandan physician, politician, and former military officer of the Uganda People's Defence Force. He served as the president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party and was an unsuccessful candidate in Uganda's 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 presidential elections, losing all of them to the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, who has been president of Uganda since 26 January 1986. The results of the 2006 elections were contested in court, and the court found massive rigging and disenfranchisement. Besigye allowed an early internal FDC election for a successor president, which took place on 24 November 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Ugandan general election</span>

General elections were held in Uganda on 23 February 2006. They were the first multi-party elections since President Yoweri Museveni took over power in 1986, and followed a referendum the previous year on scrapping the ban on party politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norbert Mao</span> Minister of Justice, Ugandan lawyer and politician

Norbert Mao is a Ugandan political activist and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party since 2010, three time presidential candidate and served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District. He is the current minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the Ugandan government, an office he assumed on 21 July 2022. He was appointed to this position by Yoweri Museveni, the president of the Republic of Uganda. The appointment drew immense criticism from the Democratic Party, an opposition party he is currently serving as president. It was seen as a move by President Museveni to tame the Party and clip its wings to criticize his government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugene Wamalwa</span> Kenyan politician

Eugene Wamalwa is a Kenyan politician who was the former Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. Prior to that before 29 September 2021, he was Cabinet Secretary of Devolution. He is also a former minister for Justice. He also served as Minister for Water and Irrigation. He belongs to the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya Coalition Party, and was elected to represent the Saboti Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya during the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election, and served for one term of five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobi Wine</span> Ugandan opposition leader, musician, activist, lawyer and actor

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known by his stage name Bobi Wine, is an Ugandan activist, politician, singer, lawyer and actor. He is a former Member of Parliament for Kyadondo County East constituency in Wakiso District, in Uganda's Central Region. He also leads the National Unity Platform political party. In June 2019, he announced his candidacy for the 2021 Ugandan presidential election. He participated in the 2021 election, in which, according to official results, he lost to incumbent Yoweri Museveni, although he claims this result was fraudulent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Ugandan presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Uganda on 12 March 2001. The incumbent Yoweri Museveni won 69% of the vote and was elected to a second term. All candidates were independents, as political parties were banned at the time. Voter turnout was 70.3%.

Henry Tumukunde is a politician and retired senior military officer of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He ran as an independent candidate for president in the 2021 Ugandan general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Ugandan general election</span>

General elections were held in Uganda on 18 February 2016 to elect the President and Parliament. Polling day was declared a national holiday.

The People Power, Our Power movement is a resistance pressure group in Uganda. It is led by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, who is the MP for Kyadondo East constituency. The movement seeks to unite Ugandans on issues such as ending human rights abuse, corruption and redefining the rule of law, with a focus on young Ugandans. The movement was primarily sparked by civil unrest with Yoweri Museveni's extended presidency, after he announced plans to extend his third-longest tenure in Africa by seeking re-election in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliance for National Transformation</span> Ugandan political party

The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), founded on 19 March 2019, is a political party in Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Ugandan general election</span>

General elections were held in Uganda on 14 January 2021 to elect the President and the Parliament. The Electoral Commission announced Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent ruling since 1986, as the winner with 58.64% of the votes although the U.S. State Department qualified the electoral process as "fundamentally flawed" and Africa Elections Watch said they observed irregularities. The official voter turnout was 57% but is questioned since 409 polling stations have been announced to have 100% voter turnout.

Events in the year 2021 in Uganda.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Makara, Sabiti; Wang, Vibeke (2023), "Uganda", Democratic Backsliding in Africa?, Oxford University Press, pp. 212–234, hdl:20.500.12657/60999, ISBN   978-0-19-286732-2
  2. Tapscott, Rebecca (2021). Arbitrary States. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198856474.001.0001. hdl:20.500.12657/49735. ISBN   978-0-19-885647-4.
  3. Democracy Index 2023: Age of Conflict (PDF). Economist Intelligence Unit (Report). 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  4. "Uganda's Museveni wins election", BBC, 25 February 2006
  5. 1995 Constitution of Uganda (see page 83 of 192)
  6. 2005 amended Constitution of Uganda (see page 100 of 231)
  7. "Home - Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives". mtic.go.ug.
  8. administrator (2021-01-27). "2021 General Elections". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  9. "Supreme Court outlines timeline for handling Bobi petition". Daily Monitor. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  10. "Human rights breaches in Uganda, Rwanda and Kazakhstan | News | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  11. Ntale, Samson. "Guards for African leaders battle; dozen injured". edition.cnn.com.

Sources