Parliamentary Democracy in Uganda

The Experiment That Failed

Parliamentary Democracy in Uganda: The Experiment that Failed explores Ugandas malaise of armed dissidents, repression of political parties, military adventurism in neighboring countries, grinding poverty in the countryside and political uncertainty arising from accumulated failure of successive regimes to cultivate a culture of peaceful transfer of power. In light of this, the democratization process envisaged at the time of independence has been frustrated. The author sets out to unravel the cause of that frustration and impasse by tracing the beginning of Ugandas political institutions, particularly the central government organs established in the last century. The new institutions and political organs were basically designed to forge Uganda ahead as a united and stable nation. An attempt is made to critically examine the foundations upon which these institutions were built. It is argued that the institutions were laid under a hostile environment of political diversity and multicultural heritage without an inbuilt balancing mechanism. Accordingly the book recounts the difficult process of nation building undertaken in Uganda, with particular emphasis on the problems encountered in reconciling the new political institutions with the entrenched conservative traditional institutions in the South of the country (the Buganda Agreement of 1900 and other agreements with the kingdoms of Ankole, Tooro and Bunyoro). The author acknowledges the contribution made by the leaders of various political parties towards the task of nation building. It was a task undertaken amidst forces of feudalism and religious animosity. They were men and women of extraordinary foresight who had a clear vision of a new independent Uganda curved out of peoples of diverse cultural backgrounds. This book provides yet another vision of the future and suggests ideas of how to overcome the political impasse that has bedeviled the country since independence.