Government announces plans for political liberalisation

The Ugandan government on Tuesday announced plans to return the country to multi-party rule, 18 years after the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) seized power and banned political party activity. Justice minister Janat Mukwaya told the Ugandan parliament that the government 'White Paper' on political transition aimed to improve constitutional and democratic governance in the country. "We are going to have an amendment in the constitution that stipulates that the next elections will be under a multi-party political system," Mukwaya told IRIN after presenting the White Paper to parliament. She said however that a referendum would be held to seek the approval of Uganda's 24 million people before full political liberalisation, noting that the article on political systems that was entrenched in the current constitution called for a referendum on the matter. Political party activity was banned in 1986 when President Yoweri Museveni, then a guerrilla leader, seized power after waging war for five years. Since then, the parties have not been allowed to campaign, issue membership cards or field candidates in any elections. People running for public office have, instead, been chosen on the basis of "personal merit". Museveni, who heads the NRM, argued that parties had divided Ugandans on the basis of tribes and religion. In theory, all Ugandans are supposed to belong to the ruling "Movement", but critics say it is a veiled one-party system. Museveni changed his stance on political parties last year, following repeated demands by Uganda's donors that he open up political space. "The change of the political system from the movement system to the multi-party political system will be effected directly by an amendment of article 74 of the constitution," Mukwaya told parliament. The proposed changes include lifting a two-term limit of office for the president. Critics argue that this is intended to let Museveni run for another five-year term when his current term ends in 2006. Mukwaya also said it had been proposed that parliament get powers to remove from office hereditary rulers, allow dual citizenship for Ugandans living outside the country and ensure the independence of specialised commissions including the Electoral Commission, the ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission. The proposals followed a three-year constitutional review process.