By Richard Todwong
In his first address after being sworn in as President at the steps of parliament on January 29, 1986, the then 42-year-old Marxist revolutionary, wiping his forehead with a brimmed army kofia, asserted that theirs was “not a mere change of guard but a fundamental change in the politics of Uganda”. That statement would define the NRM’s journey towards the restoration of democracy, peace, security, economic revival as outlined in the original Ten-Point Programme.
In the same address, President Yoweri Museveni castigated African leaders who over-stayed in power [without elections], and those who flew expensive jets as their subjects were immersed in abject poverty. Museveni has since led his fellow countrymen and women by popular mandate through periodic free and fair elections since the very first democratic election in 1996 following the promulgation of the Constitution.
While opening the first session of the National Resistance Council (NRC), which acted as the national parliament, on April 11, 1989, Museveni was elated to see that one of his long-held wishes had come true…to see the emergence of a measure of political consensus in Uganda; a system where Ugandans were free to participate in the democratic process of choosing their leaders.
The Movement System
This was the beginning of real democracy, where aspirants for the various elective offices got their mandate from the masses under one-man-one vote system. Leaders were elected on individual merit. Uganda was under the Movement System from 1986 to 2005 when parties were allowed to operate.
President Museveni had had a long-held disgust for multipartyism on the mantra that parties fomented sectarianism and divisionism among the citizens of the country, and that they were the number one reason as to why Uganda had been trapped into anarchy. He said that they had better put parties in abeyance until such a time as when Uganda was prepared for multipartyism.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) was a broad-based system bringing together members who subscribed to the various political parties and fighting forces. Until the opening up of the political space in July 2005, all Ugandans, by law, belonged to the Movement system.
Road to constitutionalism
The road to constitutionalism began in 1990, when President Museveni, who was meant to step down that year, as per the schedule of the transitional government [1986-1990], sought the mandate of the National Resistance Council (NRC), the then parliament, to add him more five years [1990-1995]to see through the process of birthing a new supreme law for Uganda.
Thus the transition of the NRC to the Constituent Assembly (CA) in 1994 to pave way for the new constitution, a process that saw various politicians seek the people’s mandate through elections of one-man-one-vote to set foot in the CA. It was this delegation that debated and promulgated the constitution in 1995; the first constitution in which the citizens of Uganda were widely consulted on the various issues under the Justice Odoki Commission.
The 1995 constitution replaced the 1967 Republican Constitution of Apollo Milton Obote that had been hastily drafted after the bitter fallout between Obote and the then Kabaka of Buganda, Sir Edward Mutesa, also President at the time.
Uganda’s first free democratic elections
With the new constitution, Ugandans, for the first time, elected their leaders in the first-ever democratic elections in which President Museveni offered himself up for elections alongside his first interior minister Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere (DP-leaning) and Mohammed Kibirige Mayanja, who stood on the platform of JEEMA. Museveni was overwhelmingly voted by Ugandans garnering over 75% of the popular vote under universal suffrage to begin his new and “first” [as stipulated in the new constitution] five-year tenure of office.
The landmark of the NRM’s democratic process was the inclusion of special interest groups such as women, youth, workers, the army, and persons with disability (PWDs), and more recently the elderly. The workers, army, youth, the elderly and PWDs are elected through electoral colleges.
Women in leadership
Indeed, women have been accorded more space in politics and other leadership roles in government. Currently women comprise 35% of the overall representation in parliament, and they have held high-profile positions in NRM government including controlling 40% of cabinet slots. Museveni appointed the first-ever woman vice president in Uganda and Africa (Dr Specioza Wandira Kazzibwe); Uganda has also had the first female speaker of parliament (Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga); first female prime minister Rt Hon Robinah Nabanja; first female deputy chief justice (late Lady Justice Leticia Kikonyogo); first female military general (Lt Gen Proscovia Nalweyiso), etc.
Foundation for recovery
The initial 10 years of President Museveni’s leadership (1986-1996) marked a firm foundation for Uganda’s socio-economic and political recovery. This was the time the NRM embarked on policy interventions that would place the nation on the pedestal of real progress. The NRM government introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1997 which saw enrollment swell from 1.8million pupils to 12million pupils today. The economy underwent rapid transformation following Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) which included liberalisation, privitisation, deregulation, and opening up to Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). Indeed in the last two decades, the economy has grown at an average of 6.5 per cent of GDP, and revenue collection increased from Shs5billion in 1986 to over Shs23trillion today (FY 2023/24 projections). The budget has also increased to more than Shs 50trillion as of 2023/24 financial year.
This was the period the NRM government was engaged in fierce battles against insurgents such as Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF I&II), West Nile Bank Front, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and the Karamojong cattle rustlers. All these reactionary forces have since been defeated by the now professionalised people’s army, the UPDF. Uganda is now more peaceful and secure at all the borders for the first time in 500 years, and the UPDF is now working hard to stabilise the region through its pan-African mandate of peace missions.
The next ten years (1996-2006) saw refocused planning (sectoral reviews and strategic investment plans) in terms of realigning our budgetary priorities with the aim of delivering on the essential services such as health, education, transport and communication infrastructure, energy, agriculture ie NAADS, human resource development, etc, amidst emerging local and global challenges.
Restoration of cultural institutions
Until recently when the central government handed back a number of properties to the Buganda Kingdom, Buganda had remained a thorn in the flesh of the NRM government. It was the NRM that restored cultural institutions including the Kabakaship in 1993. Ostensibly, according to some analysts, Museveni wanted to appease the Baganda and secure their support as he sought to entrench his regime in power. As time would prove, the romance between Mengo, the seat of the Buganda Kingdom, and the NRM government was first losing steam at an appalling rate especially during the reigns of Dan Muliika and Eng JB Walusimbi as Katikiros (prime ministers) of Buganda. Government has more often than not had to cave in to Mengo’s demands until it couldn’t have it anymore. Issues of concern have been the granting of federalism to Buganda, the return of the Kingdom’s 9000 sq. miles of land including other expropriated properties, and granting the Kabaka more powers to collect taxes in his jurisdiction. The appointment of Charles Peter Mayiga as Katikiro reset a new trajectory between the relationship of Buganda on the one hand and central government on the other. Katikiro Mayiga is a young firebrand Kingdom enthusiast whose leadership approach is to work closely and cordially with the central government as he charts a socio-economic development path for Buganda.
The ultimate in the Mengo-Government stand-off was witnessed in 2009 when the government, owing to security reasons, barred the Kabaka from visiting Kayunga, a melee that culminated into the death of a dozen civilians. Before the dust could settle, Buganda’s most revered cultural heritage, the Kasubi Tombs, were torched to ashes and some officials at Mengo were quick to point fingers at Government. Investigations, which followed an earlier warning by Unesco, would later reveal that the tombs were set ablaze by an accidental fire.
It’s this and other sets of acrimony between Buganda Kingdom and the NRM government that, according to some analysts, resulted into a rushed enactment of the Cultural Institutions and Leaders Act, seen by critics as a move by Government to curtail the powers and influence of the Kabaka, but this isn’t the case as evidenced by the cordial mutual relation between Kabaka Ronald Mutebi and President Yoweri Museveni.
As of today, the central government enjoys a cordial relationship with Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom, and this relationship has been cemented by the restitution of Buganda Kingdom properties including land titles of all properties previously occupied by government.
East African Federation
President Museveni has been at the forefront of pushing for the East African Federation. In 1999, together with other regional leaders; Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, the East African Community was revived to include additional members: Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DR Congo, and more recently Somalia. The EAC now comprises a robust Customs Union, Common Market, and plans are underway to have the East African Monetary Union by 2026 which will result into the single currency and eventually a Federation.
There are signature projects in infrastructure which are jointly being pushed by the EAC member states, and these include; the East African Oil Pipeline which is being constructed from the oil-rich Bunyoro region connecting to Tanga and will go all the way to Dar-es-Salaam port. The Oil refinery is in process. We are having the East African Standard Gauge Railway which is running all the way from Mombasa and will go through Uganda up to Rwanda and DR Congo, connecting all the member states.
The above huge investments in infrastructure are meant to fast-track the integration process socio-economically and will eventually make the political federation easier.
Wealth creation:
In this phase (2006-2024) when the NRM marks 38 years of steady progress, the economy is now robust with sound macro and microeconomic policies that have stabilised the economy, keeping inflation to manageable levels, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The NRM government, through prioritisation, is now consolidating on key sectors such as roads, energy, health, security and defence, ICT and scientific innovations.
The current 2023/24 budget points to the renewed efforts at creating jobs by increasing funding to the critical sectors. Money to wealth creation initiatives including the Parish Development Model (PDM) stands at a whopping Shs 1trillion. There are also resource baskets such as Emyooga, Women Fund, Fund for the Elderly, Youth Livelihood, etc, which are meant to stimulate wealth creation.
The revival of the national air carrier, the Uganda Airlines, has rejuvenated hope and optimism among Ugandans with the arrival of two new Boeing A330-800 new aircrafts and four Bombardier planes. The Airlines has enhanced Uganda’s connectivity to the international world with the potential to boost our tourism, travel and commerce.
Creating jobs
Museveni’s challenge is now creating jobs for millions of young Ugandans. According to official statistics, about 400,000 youth graduate from universities, colleges and other institutions of which only 9,000 are absorbed in the formal sector. The President is now restructuring the different ministries, departments and agencies to align them on the singular mission of creating jobs and empowering the masses through effective service delivery.
Ugandans are now more hopeful for the future; they see reason enough to collectively develop their country. The government launched a national development vision which aims at transforming the country from a peasantry to modern, transformed, middle class and industrialised society within 30 years. This vision can only be realised if we embrace President Museveni’s mission of wealth creation and poverty eradication at household level under this tenure of “Securing the Future”.
Museveni’s Legacy at a glance:
- Restoration of peace, security within all Uganda’s borders
- Professional people’s army
- Uganda is politically stable
- Improved international relations ie NAM Conference, G-77+ China, Global Speakers’ meeting, Chogm, etc
- Steady economic growth of 6.5% average
- Poverty reduction from 56% by early 2000s to 19%
- Free education ie UPE, USE, UPPET, Student’s Loan Scheme
- More access to university education from 9 public and private universities to more than 40 today
- Roads tarmacked from 1,500km to 6,000km now.
- Thanks to Rural Electrification, only 1 district is without power-Buvuma.
- Life expectancy is now at 65 years from 42 in 1986
- Promotion of Sports ie Uganda Cranes qualifying for Africa Cup
