UGANDA'S FLAWED ELECTIONS: Ssemogerere grumbling over ‘robbed’ victory 25 years later

Therefore for 18 years the political opposition had an unknown quantity. Had it been killed by the repression in those 18 years? By 1980 who knew what was left of the Democratic Party. It was the elections and the participation of the Democratic Party in Parliament that showed that DP was a serious actor in the politics of Uganda. It rose to greater heights than ever before. The reputation of the Democratic Party assumed greater proportions nationally and internationally and up to today, it is a party that is respected.

On the situation today

It is a pity that the President and the Movement leadership do not appear to have learnt the lessons from past elections regarding particular concerns on the legal framework. A legal regime that does not offer a level playing field for the Movement—under whatever designation (NRM, NRMO) and the rest of the political parties is a recipe for disaster.

Even after the registration of the NRM (as a political party) they don’t want to concede that the Movement as it was before is no more. The Movement Commissar is a state official. The Movement Secretariat is still funded by the State. The brief of the RDCs is to mobilise for the NRM. The fragmentation of districts is partly to increase the patronage system and to consolidate support for the Movement.

These kinds of measures are to ensure that the Movement will always have special advantage. If this attitude is not abandoned, I have fears for the future. It can lead to frustrations as in the past but also it can lead to impediments in our political and economic development.

The violation of human rights and reneging on democracy in this country to me explains Uganda’s turbulence and economic backwardness. People have no faith in our political system. People see no peaceful way of changing the government so they go to the bush. Why don’t we have enough good quality investors? It is because they are not confident about the future.