Uganda marked 62 years of independence this year, celebrating its liberation from British colonial rule in 1962. Over the decades, the country has made significant strides in various sectors, including governance, security, and development.
However, the ongoing debate around the proposed 2024 Constitutional Amendment Bill raises important questions about whether Uganda is on the verge of repeating its political history—one marked by reforms that consolidate power in the hands of a few.
The significance of Uganda’s political independence cannot be overstated. Since becoming a republic in 1963, Uganda has had nine presidents, with President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, as the current leader.
While the country has made strides in maintaining military independence and security—reflected in the government’s allocation of UGX 9.1 trillion (24.6% of the 2024/25 national budget) to governance and security—other aspects of independence, particularly democracy, seem to be under threat.
One of the pillars of any democratic society is its constitution. Uganda’s constitution, adopted in 1995, has undergone several amendments, with two of the most controversial changes being the removal of presidential term limits in 2005 and the presidential age limit in 2017.
These amendments allowed incumbents to stay in power indefinitely, a move that was widely opposed by the Ugandan public. Surveys by Afrobarometer in 2021 revealed that most Ugandans want both term and age limits reinstated, signaling a widespread desire for democratic reform.
The current 2024 Constitutional Amendment Bill, tabled by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Nobert Mao, raises similar concerns. While some of the proposed reforms, such as compulsory electronic voting and the regulation of fundraising activities during campaigns, aim to address electoral transparency, other provisions seem to concentrate power in a way that could undermine democratic participation.
For instance, the proposal for parliamentary election of the president raises alarms about the potential for political maneuvering that could maintain the incumbent leadership in power, bypassing the will of the people.
This isn’t the first time such concerns have emerged. Uganda’s political history is dotted with reforms that, while framed as efforts to improve governance, often end up consolidating power within the ruling elite.
The removal of term limits and the age limit amendments serve as glaring examples of how political reforms can be manipulated to serve those already in power. It begs the question: is the 2024 Constitutional Amendment Bill another step in this direction?
Mao, in defense of the bill, claims that these reforms are in response to public demand. However, a deeper look at the political landscape suggests otherwise. Public opinion surveys, such as those conducted by Afrobarometer, show a disconnect between what Ugandans want and what their lawmakers enact.
In fact, many MPs who voted in favor of the 2017 age limit amendment lost their seats in the 2021 elections, indicating that their actions did not align with the will of their constituents.
Moreover, the introduction of electronic voting, while aimed at reducing ballot tampering, seems premature in a country where only 10.3% of people have internet access, according to the National Information Technology Survey 2022.
This digital divide raises serious concerns about whether such reforms will truly enhance electoral integrity or merely disenfranchise a significant portion of the population.
As Uganda approaches its 2026 general elections, the country stands at a crossroads. Will these proposed reforms bring about a fairer, more transparent electoral process, or are they a calculated move to extend the tenure of the current leadership?
History suggests the latter, and if so, Uganda may be heading down a familiar path—one where political reforms serve to maintain the status quo rather than strengthen democracy.
In conclusion, while some of the proposed constitutional reforms address genuine electoral challenges, others appear to be mechanisms to maintain power, echoing Uganda’s past political maneuvers. The risk is that, once again, history will repeat itself, leaving Ugandans to navigate the consequences.
The Writer is a Student of Journalism at Makerere University.