Essay On Democracy In Uganda

Democracy is a government of the people, for the people, and by the people.”(Abraham Lincoln). Democracy emanates from a Greek word Demokratia which means the rule of people. In other words, power rests with people in democracy. (Britannica.com).

Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme powers are vested in the people and is exercised by them indirectly or directly through a system of representation usually involving periodic fair elections (http://www.zesn.org.zw/publications/publication_280.pdf). Most importantly, the rule of is needed to ensure that governors are held accountable through elections that are free and fair (Rose, R 2009) Democracy really means nothing or less than the rule of people, expressing their Sovereign

Presidents want to rule for life and extend the patronage to their family members. This greed has led to manipulation of parliaments, constitutions for example according to Uganda’s constitution of 1995; the president had only 3 terms of office. However when Uganda’s president term expired in 2005, he bribed members of parliament with 5millions Uganda shillings to scrap off presidential term limits without holding a referendum and it succeeded. This was a great blow to Uganda’s democracy and contempt of the

Electorates are forced to vote for a particular party with massive rigging of votes. Violence has been caused by vested interests for political or economic aims. In most of the elections the incumbent government uses security organs and the army to crush electorates who oppose ruling government. Some electorates and politicians involve themselves in undemocratic methods to win elections like attacking opponents belonging to the other political parties with stones with impunity. This in most cases instils fear in electorates and they don’t cast their votes or participate in democracy. These acts pose a threat to democracy and this may lead to more autocratic government or dictatorial if not responded