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Politics of Uganda: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:36, 14 February 2021

Political system of Uganda

Politics of Uganda
Constitution Human rights
Government President (List) Yoweri Museveni Vice President Jessica Alupo Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja Cabinet
Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga
Judiciary Supreme Court Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court High Court Magistrate Courts Industrial Court
Administrative divisions Regions Districts Counties Sub-counties Local Council
Elections Recent elections General: 2011 2016 2021 Electoral Commission Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Sam Kutesa Diplomatic missions of / in Uganda Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Uganda portal Other countries
v t e

Uganda is a presidential republic, in which the President of Uganda 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 2019.^{[1][needs update]}

Political culture

In a measure ostensibly designed to reduce sectarian violence, political parties were restricted in their activities from 1986. In the non-party "Movement" system instituted by President Yoweri Museveni, political parties continued to exist but could not campaign 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.

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.^[2]

Executive

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, Ruhakana Rugunda, assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet.

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."^[3][4]

Ministries of Uganda

^[5]

Political parties and elections

Presidential elections

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

The announced but contested results are as follows;

Source: Uganda ELectoral Commission^[6]

The pop star turned politician Bobi wine aka Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu is challenging the election results in the country's highest court, the supreme court seeking to over-turn Museveni's victory.^[7]

The highly contested elections marred with violence and opposition repression has outrage, condemnation and sanctions from both the US and the European Union^[8]

Parliamentary elections

Party		Constituency			Women			Seats
		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Appointed	Total	+/–
	National Resistance Movement	3,945,000	48.88	199	3,566,617	48.95	84	10	293	+30
	Forum for Democratic Change	1,027,648	12.73	29	929,860	12.76	7	0	36	+2
	Democratic Party	349,962	4.34	13	246,284	3.38	2	0	15	+3
	Uganda People's Congress	172,781	2.14	4	236,164	3.24	2	0	6	–4
	Justice Forum	20,089	0.25	0	16,741	0.23	0	0	0	0
	Ugandan Federal Alliance	18,146	0.22	0	0	0.00	–	0	0	0
	Conservative Party	10,792	0.13	0	2,902	0.04	0	0	0	0
	Social Democratic Party	5,972	0.07	0	0	0.00	–	0	0	0
	Republican Women and Youth Party	2,311	0.03	0	8,502	0.12	0	0	0	0
	People's Progressive Party	2,185	0.03	0	16,720	0.23	0	0	0	0
	Uganda Patriotic Movement	470	0.01	0	0	0.00	–	0	0	0
	Activist Party	175	0.00	0	0	0.00	–	0	0	0
	Independents	2,515,163	31.16	44	2,261,897	31.05	17	5	66	+23
Uganda People's Defence Force								10	10	0
Total		8,070,694	100.00	289	7,285,687	100.00	112	25	426	+51
Registered voters/turnout		15,277,198	–		15,277,198	–
Source: EC, Election Passport

Judiciary

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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.

Foreign relations

A fight between Ugandan and Libyan presidential guards sparked chaos during a ceremony attended by the heads of state from 11 African nations on March 19, 2008.^[9]

International organization participation

• ACP (Lomé Convention)
• African Development Bank
• Commonwealth of Nations
• East African Development Bank
• Food and Agriculture Organization
• Group of 77
• Intelsat
• Intergovernmental Authority on Development
• International Atomic Energy Agency
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Civil Aviation Organization
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
• International Criminal Court
• International Development Association
• International Finance Corporation
• International Fund for Agricultural Development
• International Labour Organization
• International Monetary Fund
• International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• International Olympic Committee
• International Organization for Migration
• International Organization for Standardization (correspondent)
• International Telecommunication Union
• Interpol
• Islamic Development Bank
• Non-Aligned Movement
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
• Organisation of African Unity
• Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
• Permanent Court of Arbitration
• United Nations
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization
• Universal Postal Union
• World Customs Organization
• World Federation of Trade Unions
• World Health Organization
• World Intellectual Property Organization
• World Meteorological Organization
• World Tourism Organization
• World Trade Organization

See also

• List of government ministries of Uganda
• Cabinet of Uganda
• Parliament of Uganda
• Supreme Court of Uganda

References

• Uganda's opposition join forces (BBC News, 16 February 2004)
• "Uganda 'night commuters' flee rebel brutality" (Yahoo News, October 17, 2005)
• Tripp, Aili Mari, Museveni’s Uganda: Paradoxes of Power in a Hybrid Regime, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2010.

External links

• Parliament of Uganda
• State House of Uganda
• Constitution of the Republic of Uganda
• Party Politics in Uganda, 1963-2000, Christina Nyströmee
• Uganda GovernmentatCurlie