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Uganda: A Microcosm of Crisis and Hope in Sub-Saharan Africa

1996; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 51; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/002070209605100105

2052-465X

Susan Dicklitch,

Global Peace and Security Dynamics

After more than 20 years of despair and chaos, Uganda seems to be surfacing slowly from a spiral of self-destruction at the same time as countries all around it have fallen to pieces or exhibit clear warning signs of doing so in the near future. Hope for the future is awakening among Ugandans and among analysts studying Uganda. Much of this hope springs from optimism about the regime of Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (nrm). Since 1986, this broad-based transitional military regime has ruled Uganda via a system of Resistance Councils and Committees (rcs) which allow for both direct participation at the rc 1 (village) level and indirect representation at the rc 2 through 5 and National Resistance Council (nrc) levels. Although the nrm regime acquired power by force and from the 'bush' rather than peacefully, its purported grassroots decentralized approach to governance, accompanied by a degree of political and social stability, is unprecedented in Uganda. Uganda, however, is at a crossroads. In 1989 the nrm voted to extend its rule for another five years. In 1995 the regime's desire to retain a 'movement' type of system for yet another five years is pitted against external (mainly foreign donor) and limited societal pressures for political liberalization. A number of disturbing trends in NRM-ruled Uganda need to be examined.