Since Uganda became a multiparty dispensation, the struggle of parties has seemingly grown! The sole purpose to transit from Single party politics to multiparty politics was to allow the thriving of democratic competition which is very healthy for any democracy.
By and large, one can say that it is evident that Uganda is a multiparty dispensation if they choose to go by the data. I last checked and we have more than 29 registered Political parties in Uganda and to most of them, I have never heard about!
If one chooses to go by the data that Uganda has more than 29 political parties, they would quickly pass it for being the most democratic! However, given all these political parties, Uganda still runs as a single Political dispensation!
The NRM has consolidated itself into power for the last 33 years and the “Multi party dispensation” has seemingly died off! Of course there are opposition parties that have stood the test of time to challenge the status quo but whether they have been allowed the same opportunity to carry out their activities is another story!
The political parties have suffered from the worst flue-Democracy deficits which has been exhibited in various forms. The parties have breached their own party rubric, suffocated mentorship, witch hunted others, black mailed each other to the extent of public disgust!
I have noticed a trend by the ruling party to deny citizens services simply because they did not elect an NRM cadre in their area which is unfortunate!
The President has continually said on various occasions and recently during the Great Trek in Nakaseke District that the voters made a mistake by sending him a “useless” young man (Honourable Member of Parliament-by the way) and largely blaming citizens for voting opposition leaders and leaders who cannot access him as the sole reason why they are not receiving services. This is unfair and a breach of a social contract.
The citizens elected the government in power, they finance it with the heavy taxes and it must therefore provide adequate and effective services to all regardless of the political leaning. To blame poor service delivery on citizens’ choice of a leader is just a rider for a vote of no confidence in the leader.
Aboneka is a Member of World Youth Alliance & International Youth Committee (IYC)
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