This January, Uganda’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its leader, President Yoweri Museveni, marked 27 years in power. Museveni and the NRM came to power in 1986 following a five-year guerrilla war against Milton Obote’s government. Since then, Museveni, who has retained close links with the military, has managed to keep a strong hold on power, winning four elections, somewhat controversially, in the process. Recently, however, Museveni seems to be feeling more under threat. Parliament is proving more assertive and Museveni, Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga and Chief of Defence Forces Aronda Nyakairima have all warned that the military could intervene to “refocus the country’s future” if the current “bad politics” in parliament continue. Talk of a military takeover is clearly a flagrant threat to parliamentary independence and constitutional rule. At the same time, however, Museveni has also hinted at reforms to the constitution and budget process. Though less spectacular than the prospect of a coup, these suggestions are far more insidious and, if realised, would increase the NRM’s ability to discipline its members and hugely weaken parliament’s oversight role. Up until now, Uganda has retained a space for democratic manoeuvre, allowing parliament to assert a degree of independence vis-à-vis the executive. This space has been continually negotiated and policed by parliament and the executive alike. Many critics already claim Museveni is an undemocratic despot, but a lot nevertheless remains in the balance should parliament lose its already limited scope for independent action.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 17:19:58 +0000
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