Ugee

The Republic of Uganda came into existence on 9th October 1962, when the then Uganda Protectorate regained independence from British colonial rule. The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), under Dr. Milton Apollo Obote as Prime Minister, formed the first government.

UPC came into power through an alliance with Kabaka Yekka (YK), which had a stated aim of protecting the institution, power and position of the Buganda Kabaka (king). In November 1963, Kabaka Mutesa II was elected as the ceremonial President of the Republic of Uganda thus seemingly sealing the political alliance of UPC and YK. But this marriage of political convenience was short lived as both Obote and Mutesa had different agendas.

In 1964, Obote championed a bill in Parliament providing for a referendum in the Buganda counties of Buyaga, Bugangaizi and Buwekula.  This culminated in two of the counties opting to secede from Buganda and revert back to the Bunyoro Kingdom.

As Kabaka of Buganda and President of Uganda, Sir Edward Mutesa II, was placed in an invidious position over the signing of the two acts pertaining to the ‘lost counties’. It was upon accusations of dereliction of duty by the President, not to mention other fabricated reasons, that Obote suspended the 1962 constitution on 22nd February 1966 and took over all powers of State, thus giving rise to what came to be known as the 1966 Crisis.

On 15 April 1966, in a Parliament surrounded by troops, Obote introduced without notice a new constitution to be voted upon that very day. It was passed without debate and the Prime Minister informed Members of Parliament (MPs) that they would find their copies in their pigeonholes. This constitution came to be known as the Pigeonhole Constitution. Amongst other things, federal status of kingdoms was abolished and office of the Prime Minister  was merged with that of the President, powers of both vested in Obote.

The Kabaka and the Mengo establishment refused to recognize the supremacy of the pigeonhole constitution, insisting on the 1962 version. This culminated in the 24th  May 1966 storming of Kabaka’s palace by the Uganda army, under the leadership General Idi Amin, on the orders of Obote. Though the Kabaka managed to escape, he was to die exiled in Britain. In 1967 Obote completely abolished kingdoms and the parliament became the constituent assembly. Later, all political parties were outlawed, except UPC, and Uganda became a one-party-state in a move to the left engineered by Obote.

Idi Amin and rapture of Ugandan society

It was against this background that Idi Amin led a disgruntled section of the army to overthrow Obote on 25th January 1971. This coup was met with great jubilation but was to foster in an era of terror that would last 8 years. It was also during this period that all Asians, mainly Indians, were expelled from Uganda.
The Ugandan economy was to suffer greatly due to this expulsion as well as fiscal mismanagement and insecurity. But is should be noted though that this led to the emergence of an indigenous middle class.

An estimated 300,000 Ugandans lost their lives through indiscriminate extra judicial killings during the Amin regime.

Enter UNLF and Obote II

In April 1979, a combined force of Ugandan exiles, under the umbrella of Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLF), and the Tanzania Peoples Defense Force (TPDF) overthrew Amin’s regime.

The UNLF was created through the patronage of President Nyerere of Tanzania at the Moshi Conference. It brought together a disparate group of Ugandan organizations and individuals with a common goal of ousting the Amin regime. The first UNLF government was led by Prof. Yusuf Lule as President and though well liked only lasted 68 days.

President Lule was followed by President Godfrey Binaisa, then came the Paulo Muwanga Military Commission in the lead up to the December 1980 elections. UPC was to win these elections though they were marred by multiple irregularities and generally considered rigged. Obote, as the President of UPC, was sworn in for a second term.

During Obote II regime, Uganda was subjected to one of the most harrowing eras of its short history. Insecurity, fuelled by the government security organs as well as an ongoing liberation struggle, reigned countrywide. An estimated 500,000 Ugandans lost their lives through extra judicial killings, committed mainly by the security forces of the Obote II regime.

NRA liberation struggle

In direct protest of the rigged and fraudulent vote that had brought UPC into power, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, then Vice Chairman of the Military Commission and President of the Uganda Patriotic Movement, launched on the liberation struggle. On February 6th 1981, with 26 compatriots under the banner of the National Resistance Army (NRA), Museveni attacked Kabamba Military Barracks.

The NRA’s struggle was unique in that, for the first time in post-colonial Africa, a home grown insurgency, with no rear bases in a neighboring country and little external support, was ultimately successful. It was essentially an uprising of oppressed Ugandan citizens.

As NRA made staggering advances towards the Kampala, having already cut the country of into two different administrative zones, elements of the UNLA on July 26th 1985 ousted Obote in a bid to find better negotiating ground. The Military Junta of Generals Bazilio and Tito Okello replaced Obote II’s government.

NRM era

On January 26th 1986, five years after the struggle began, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was sworn in as the President of the Republic of Uganda. The NRA had succeeded in defeating the oppressive and reactionary UNLA. All political partys were suspended and Uganda was governed by the all-encompassing Movement system introduced by President Museveni.

In 1995 a new constitution was proscribed into law and extended the ban on political partys.

Presidential elections were held in 1996 under universal suffrage for all. Museveni was returned as President, becoming the very first Ugandan to be elected to the post by universal suffrage. In 2001, he was again returned by popular mandate to the Office of the President.

Current political system

Through a referendum held in 2005, political partys have been re-instituted and this has brought an end to the Movement system. In the same referendum, presidential term limits were removed making it possible for any Ugandan to stand for more than two terms.

Currently, Uganda votes for a new President on February 23rd 2006. Political parties vying for the seat are National Resistance Movement Organization (NRM), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Democratic Party (DP) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). There are also some independent contestants.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is the NRM candidate.

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