The history of political crisis in Uganda : the legacy facing the Museveni regime, 1986 to the present

Abstract

The political history of post-independent Uganda has been characterized by antagonistic questions of political power, physical and social insecurity, corruption, ethnic and religious conflicts, economic stagnation, and state violence. Historically, the seeds of these crimes were sown by British colonialism and subsequently nourished and exacerbated by the successive regimes, and compradors of imperialism in the neo-colonial Uganda. The conflicts inherent in the socioeconomic and political system continue to exert enormous constraint on the search for national integration and democracy. The socioeconomic and political crises have come to symbolize the demise, the marginalization, and the ungovernability of the country. This thesis will attempt to investigate whether the change of government in 1986 will usher in a period of Uganda's retreat from anarchy and turmoil, or whether it is just another chapter in the history of the country's decay. Judging from the undefined platform of the regime, its composition, tactics, strategy, ideology, credibility and capacity, current evidence tends to weigh more on the latter. That is, Uganda's predicaments will not only continue but will also probably become more complex and lead to a more entrenched tradition of anarchy and state terrorism. National unity and democracy are prerequisites to the country's future prosperity. These two pillars (national unity and democracy) are fundamental to the revitalization of the economy, respect for human rights, and national security. This approach, however, has definite limitations. Emphasis on the two pillars omits appropriate discussion of other significant issues, such as national economic and social service. -- Taken from Introduction