Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad

Sub Saharan Africa

Uganda

 Flag of Uganda

Last reviewed: 31 July 2009

Country information

POLITICS

A key, and controversial, feature of Uganda's politics since 1986 was the so-called 'no party' political system, or Movement System. Uganda's 1995 constitution provided for political participation and voting but prohibited political parties from sponsoring candidates. A Referendum in 2000 found 91% in favour of continuing the Movement system, although turnout was low and the pro multiparty side had limited opportunity to present their case. Museveni won 74% of the vote in the 1996 elections and 69% of the vote in 2001. The 2001 elections were marred in places by violence and intimidation and Museveni's main rival, Dr Kizza Besigye, subsequently left the country to spend the next four years in South Africa.

After 2001 calls for multi-party democracy in Uganda became more persistent.  In July 2005 a further referendum was held to decide on the political system.  This time the government supported the change and secured a 92% vote in favour of restoring multi-partyism.  The opposition boycotted the referendum and turn out was low (47%).  Political parties had already emerged in expectation of the switch to a multi-party system.  The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is the previous establishment in its new guise, led by President Museveni.  The Uganda People's Congress (UPC), Democratic Party (DP) and Conservative Party (CP), Uganda's pre 1986 parties, have declined; with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) emerging as the main opposition group in parliament holding 37 seats.

Parliament voted in August 2005 to lift the constitutional two-term limit on the office of President to allow unlimited terms.  Museveni therefore stood again in elections held in February 2006, the first multi-party elections since 1980, and won with 59% of the vote.  His nearest challenger, Dr Kizza Besigye, gained 37%.  The NRM  won 191 of 215 parliamentary seats in the main ballot; the rest of the 305-strong parliament was made up of 69 District Women’s Representatives and representatives of the Ugandan Army, the youth, persons with disabilities, and workers, a large majority of whom represent the NRM.

Besigye returned to Uganda from exile in South Africa in October 2005. He was arrested on treason and rape charges three weeks later, which led to violent street protests in Kampala and elsewhere in Uganda. While in detention he was nominated as the Presidential candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). He was obliged to simultaneously defend himself in the High Court on the criminal charges and campaign on behalf of the FDC and his own Presidential candidacy. The arrest and detention of such a major opposition figure, as well as the blocking of campaign rallies and unequal access to state resources, raised some concerns about the election process. The EU Observation Mission and the Commonwealth Observer Group concluded that the election had represented the will of the people, despite identifying significant flaws in the campaign process.

Tensions between the opposition and government have centred on the subversion of the independence of the judicial process, particularly during the ongoing trial of individuals suspected of involvement with a rebel group called the People’s Redemption Army.  On 31 January 2007 opposition MPs suspended their participation in Parliament for three weeks protesting over political manipulation of the justice system, and in March 2007 judges and lawyers went on strike in protest.

Uganda staged a successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in November 2007, hosting more than 50 heads of state and government including Queen Elizabeth II.

Northern Uganda

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been conducting an insurgency in the Acholi area of Northern Uganda for 20 years. This has involved a brutal campaign of atrocities against the local Acholi and Langi population, often in punishment for failure to support their cause. Almost 2 million people from Gulu, Kitgum and Pader Districts in northern Uganda fled their homes to Internally Displaced Persons camps for protection.  Successive Ugandan military campaigns against the LRA failed to end the conflict.  Following the issue of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for the top five LRA leaders, the majority of the LRA moved to a new base in north eastern DRC.  In May 2006 the government of Southern Sudan offered to mediate between the LRA and the Ugandan government. Peace Talks between the two parties took place in Juba, Southern Sudan. The Juba Peace Talks were aided by the appointment of the former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General to the LRA affected region.  The Juba Peace Talks led to a negotiated peace deal being agreed by both sides, however despite many opportunities Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, has refused to sign the agreement.  Kony’s refusal to sign the Final Peace Agreement (FPA), led to the Governments of Uganda, DRC and Southern Sudan launching military action against the LRA in December 2008.  This action aimed to bring pressure on Kony to sign up to the FPA.  The FPA remains unsigned and Kony and the LRA continue to attack the local civilian populations in northern DRC, southern Sudan and in CAR.

BBC News Country Profile: Uganda

BBC News: Africa

HUMAN RIGHTS

Uganda's human rights record improved enormously after Museveni came to power in 1986.  It still has a reasonably free media, though this freedom is occasionally curtailed when the government perceives a conflict with national interest.  It also has active civil society organisations.  Rule of law problems remain, including poor policing and questionable activities by security agencies such as allegations of illegal detention, torture and politically motivated harassment.  Demonstrations in Kampala have been met with a brutal response from security services,.  The judiciary has proved itself to be independent and a strong critic of government, but has come under intense political pressure and faced increasing intimidation from security services.  The worst cases of human rights abuse have occured in Northern Uganda where, for many years (during the LRA conflict) the general public was not  provided with adequate protection from either the rebels or the military.  The Ugandan military has also faced accusations of human rights abuses in the Karamoja region.

Country information

Pick Another Country :

Share this with: