AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Uganda
 
Political Profile
Political System: Restricted Democratic Practice
President: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (NRM) [since 26 January 1986; seized power in 1986 military rebellion, elected 1996, re-elected 2001 and 2006] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
Prime Minister: Apollo Nsimbabi (NRM) [since 05 April 1999] The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
Parliament [unicameral] (319 Seats) 215 members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system, 69 women are directly elected to represent each of the country's districts, 15 members representing special interest groups are indirectly elected (5 youth representatives, 5 representatives of persons with disabilities, and 5 worker's representatives), 10 members represent the Uganda People's Defence Force (army), and another 10 are ex-officio members; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1962-1966 Democracy
1966-1969 Restricted Democratic Practice
1969-1971 One Party State (UPC)
1971-1979 Military Regime
1979-1980 Transitional Government
1980         Military Regime
1980-1985 Restricted Democratic Practice
1985-1989 Military Regime
1989-1996 Transitional Period
1996-        Restricted Democratic Practice
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 5, Civil Liberties - 4, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2011
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2011
Political Parties: CP - Conservative Party, DP - Democratic Party (conservative), FDC - Forum for Democratic Change, JEEMA - Justice Forum, KY - Kabaka Yekka ["the King Alone"], NRM - National Resistance Movement (authoritarian), UNC - Uganda National Congress, UPC - Uganda People’s Congress (socialist), UPM - Uganda Patriotic Movement.
Coalitions: Uganda People’s Congress-Kabaka Yekka (UPC-KY) [Contested the 1962 National Assembly Election]
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Multiparty: 2006
--Non Partisan: 1996, 2001
Legislative
--Multiparty: 1958, 1961, 1962, 1980, 2006
--Non Partisan: 1989, 1996, 2001
Constituent Assembly: 1994
Referenda
--National: 2000, 2005
--Sub-National: 1964
 
 
1958 Legislative Council Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (10)

Uganda National Congress (UNC)

05

Democratic Party (DP)

01

Independents

04

*These were the first elections held for seats on the Legislative Council. The Buganda boycotted the poll.
 
March 1961 Legislative Council Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (91)

Democratic Party (DP)

43

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC)

35

Others

13

 
25 April 1962 National Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (91)

Uganda People’s Congress-Kabaka Yekka [UPC-KY]

58

 

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC)

  

37

Kabaka Yekka (KY)

21

Democratic Party (DP)

24

Others

09

*The Buganda region opted for indirect elections and its Lukiiko [local assembly] nominated 21 representatives to the National Assembly. All 21 members represented the Kabaka Yekka (KY) Party.
 
10 December 1980 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 85%)

Party

Number of Seats (126)

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC)

72

Democratic Party (DP)

51

Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM)

01

Conservative Party (CP)

-

Undeclared*

02

*The two undeclared seats appear to have eventually gone to the UPC and DP for a final total of 73 and 52 seats, respectively.
 
11-28 February 1989 National Resistance Council Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Out of a total of 278 seats, 210 members were elected without party affiliation.
 
28 March 1994 Constituent Assembly Election

Registered Voters

7,186,184

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

284 non-partisan delegates were elected with the principal task of writing a final draft of a new constitution.
 
09 May 1996 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

8,500,000

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 73%)

Candidate

% of Votes

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

75.5%

Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere

22.3%

Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja

2.2%

 
27 June 1996 Parliamentary Election*

Registered Voters

8,500,000

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (276)

National Resistance Movement (NRM)

156

Others

120

*The election was officially non partisan; The opposition, after their defeat in the earlier presidential election, met and declared a boycott of the parliamentary elections.
 
29 June 2000 Referendum
Referendum Question: Which political system do you wish to adopt, Movement or Multiparty?

Registered Voters

9,609,703

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

4,914,524 (51.1%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

   148,800

Total Valid Votes

4,765,724

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Movement [Non Partisan] System

4,322,901

90.7%

Multiparty System

442,843

09.3%

 
12 March 2001 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

10,775,836

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

  7,576,144 (70.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     186,453

Total Valid Votes

  7,389,691

Candidate

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

5,123,360

69.33%

Kizza Besigye

2,055,795

27.82%

Aggrey Awori

103,915

1.41%

Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja

73,790

1.00%

Francis Bwengye

22,751

0.31%

Karuhanga Chapaa

10,080

0.14%

 
27 June 2001 Parliamentary Election

Registered Voters

10,570,412

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (70.3%)

National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters continued to dominate parliament after the election. The opposition boycotted the election. No further information is available.
 
28 July 2005 Referendum*
Main Points: Introduction of Multiparty System
Referendum Question: Do you agree to open up the political space to allow those who wish to join different organizations/parties to do so to compete for political power?

Registered Voters

8,524,230

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

4,034,232 (47.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     93,144

Total Valid Votes

3,941,088

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

3,643,223

92.44%

"No" Votes

297,865

07.56%

 
23 February 2006 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

10,450,788

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

  7,230,456 (69.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     295,525

Total Valid Votes

  6,934,931

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (NRM)

4,109,449

59.26%

Kizza Besigye (FDC)

2,592,954

37.39%

John Ssebaana Kizito (DP)

109,583

1.58%

Abed Bwanika

65,874

0.95%

Miria Obote (UPC)

57,071

0.82%

 
23 February 2006 Parliamentary Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (284)*

National Resistance Movement (NRM)

191

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)

37

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC)

09

Democratic Party (DP)

08

Conservative Party (CP)

01

Justice Forum (JEEMA)

01

Independents

36

Vacant

01

*Directly elected seats only (215 constituency seats and 69 district women representatives).