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| Africa: Subsaharan | |
| Uganda votes on one-party system | |
| 2005-07-29 | |
| Ugandans voted in a referendum yesterday to decide whether their country should return to multi-party politics after 19 years of what has been in effect one-party rule. President Yoweri Museveni banned political party activity after he seized power in 1986, arguing that it was responsible for the years of violence that blighted the east African nation during the presidencies of Idi Amin and Milton Obote. Under his "no-party" system all Ugandans are notionally members of his National Resistance Movement and during elections candidates are supposed to be elected on merit, not party affiliation. Despite the political restrictions, Mr Museveni became a favourite of international donors, receiving praise for bringing relative stability to Uganda and being a leading figure in the fight against HIV/Aids. But he has faced pressure to speed up democratic reforms as the country prepares for elections in 2006. Some restrictions have been lifted, but the constitution has to be amended before opposition parties can compete in elections. This month Mr Museveni declared he would support a return to multi-party politics, saying it would counter allegations that his rule was oppressive and enable opponents within his "movement" to leave. But critics claim multi-party politics could have been reintroduced without the $12m (€9m, £7m) referendum, arguing it is being used to divert attention from efforts to remove presidential term limits and enable Mr Museveni to stand for a third term. Although he has not publicly declared his intention to run in 2006, his supporters have been campaigning for the move.
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| Posted by:Steve White |