Democratic Party (Uganda)
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party is a moderate conservative political party
in Uganda
currently led by Norbert Mao
. DP was led by Paul Ssemogerere
for 25 years until his retirement in November 2005. John Ssebaana Kizito
replaced Ssemogerere http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news11282.php, and led the party until February 2010, when Norbert Mao was elected party president.
In the general election
of 23 February 2006, the party won 8 out of 289 elected seats. In the presidential election of the same date Kizito won 1.6 % of the vote.
prior to Uganda's independence. Buganda is Uganda's largest ethnic region and has influenced the country's politics since the country was drawn up by the British colonial power. Buganda like most parts of Africa prior to independence had been visited by three key religious forces - the Roman Catholics, the Church of England (Protestants) and Islam. All three religions battled to extend their influence in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. In Buganda all three built powerful indigenous alliances and tried to influence the Buganda King - the Kabaka
. By the 1950s the Protestants had achieved most influence over the Kabaka.
To the Kabaka, the Democratic Party members were seen as disloyal, and in response the Kabaka formed an alternative more popular party in Buganda called Kabaka Yekka ("The King Only"). Realising they had little chance of winning support in their heartland - Buganda, the Democratic Party under Benedicto Kiwanuka
began to campaign for the support of other southern Bantu-speaking tribes in the South of Uganda. The Democratic Party effectively became Uganda's first national political party.
(UPC) was led by Milton Obote
. Like the Democratic Party, the UPC campaigned for a unitary modern state. In fact there was very little difference in policy between the DP and UPC.
The first election in Uganda prior to Independence saw the Democratic Party as the largest party, however the UPC formed an alliance of convenience with the Kabaka Yekka and Milton Obote became Prime Minister, promising to preserve the Kabaka's status in Buganda. That alliance did not last and in 1966, Obote ordered the military against the Kabaka who fled into exile. The Kabaka Yekka party was banned and Benedicto Kiwanuka was imprisoned.
, Benedicto Kiwanuka accepted a ministerial post in the new government. He was eventually murdered by Amin's agents. All political parties were banned in Uganda during Idi Amin's rule.
The Democratic Party emerged again after Idi Amin was overthrown in 1979. The absence of the Kabaka Yekka party now made the Democratic Party the main political force in Buganda and Southern Uganda, while the UPC consolidated its support in the North. This regional polarisation of Ugandan politics had made the Democratic Party a convenient vehicle for Baganda to express their political aspirations which had moved significantly towards autonomy after the apparent economic and political failure of the Ugandan state. This was further enhanced by the brutality of the new government whose army was dominated by Northerners. To many Baganda, DP was the first stage to achieving the return of the Kabaka and the "independence" of Buganda.
The leadership of the Democratic Party did not share this view, but went along with it. The new leader Paul Ssemogerere
was a political novice but used the Buganda aspiration effectively and provided a significant challenge to the UPC led once again by Milton Obote in the 1980 elections. These elections are widely believed to have been rigged by the Military Junta that ruled Uganda after Idi Amin in favour of Milton Obote and the UPC.
A third political party the Uganda Patriotic Movement
(UPM) led by Yoweri Museveni
rejected the result and went to the bush to start a guerrilla war. There was pressure on the Democratic Party to reject the result, but the leadership decided to take their seats in parliament much to the disappointment of their supporters. However one of Democratic Party's younger leaders Andrew Kayiira
did take up arms to fight the new government, joining an organisation called Uganda Freedom Movement.
When Yoweri Museveni came to power, he was able to outflank any support the Democratic Party retained in Buganda by allowing the Kabaka's son to return and be crowned as a ceremonial king. The Democratic Party performed so badly in the elections in 2006 it is doubtful whether the party will ever regain its popularity.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
currently led by Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao is a Ugandan lawyer and politician. He is the current president of the Democratic Party, and the Local Council 5 Chairman for Gulu District.-Background:He was born on March 12, 1967. His father was Acholi and his mother was a Munyankole...
. DP was led by Paul Ssemogerere
Paul Ssemogerere
Paul Kawanga Ssemongere was the leader of the Democratic Party in Uganda for 25 years and one of the main players in Ugandan politics until his retirement in 2005. He is also a member of the Roman Catholic.-Early life and education:...
for 25 years until his retirement in November 2005. John Ssebaana Kizito
John Ssebaana Kizito
John Ssebaana Kizito is a Ugandan, businessman, economist and politician. He was the President of the Democratic Party in Uganda from 2005 to 2010...
replaced Ssemogerere http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news11282.php, and led the party until February 2010, when Norbert Mao was elected party president.
In the general election
Ugandan general election, 2006
The Ugandan general election of 2006 took place on February 23, 2006. This was the first multiparty election since Yoweri Museveni, the current president, took over power in 1986. Six candidates contested for the Presidential office, and at least 33 parties were expected to enter the Parliamentary...
of 23 February 2006, the party won 8 out of 289 elected seats. In the presidential election of the same date Kizito won 1.6 % of the vote.
Background
The Democratic Party (DP) was formed out of the religious and economic demographics that began to model politics in BugandaBuganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
prior to Uganda's independence. Buganda is Uganda's largest ethnic region and has influenced the country's politics since the country was drawn up by the British colonial power. Buganda like most parts of Africa prior to independence had been visited by three key religious forces - the Roman Catholics, the Church of England (Protestants) and Islam. All three religions battled to extend their influence in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. In Buganda all three built powerful indigenous alliances and tried to influence the Buganda King - the Kabaka
Kabaka
Kabaka may refer to:*Kabaka of Buganda, the title of the king of Buganda*Kabaka Puttur, a village in the state of Karnataka, India...
. By the 1950s the Protestants had achieved most influence over the Kabaka.
Buganda
Another important factor influencing Buganda politics at the time was what the role of the Kabaka should be in a united independent Uganda. A significant majority in Buganda wanted autonomy with the Kabaka as the symbol of Buganda self-determination. However most other people in Uganda wanted a unitary modern state unhindered by traditional royalty. This aspiration was shared by some of the Buganda elite - particularly those who belonged to the Catholic Church. They formed the basis of what was to become the Democratic Party.To the Kabaka, the Democratic Party members were seen as disloyal, and in response the Kabaka formed an alternative more popular party in Buganda called Kabaka Yekka ("The King Only"). Realising they had little chance of winning support in their heartland - Buganda, the Democratic Party under Benedicto Kiwanuka
Benedicto Kiwanuka
Benedicto Kabimu Mugumba Kiwanuka was the first Prime Minister of Uganda, leader of the Democratic Party and one of the early leaders that led the country in the transition between colonial British rule and independence...
began to campaign for the support of other southern Bantu-speaking tribes in the South of Uganda. The Democratic Party effectively became Uganda's first national political party.
Independence
A third political force emerged from the Nilotic/Luo speaking North of Uganda. The Uganda National Congress later to become the Uganda People's CongressUganda People's Congress
The Uganda People's Congress is a political party in Uganda.Uganda People's Congress was founded in 1960 by Milton Obote, who led the country to Independence and later served two presidential terms under the party's banner...
(UPC) was led by Milton Obote
Milton Obote
Apolo Milton Obote , Prime Minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and President of Uganda from 1966 to 1971, then again from 1980 to 1985. He was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda towards independence from the British colonial administration in 1962.He was overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971, but...
. Like the Democratic Party, the UPC campaigned for a unitary modern state. In fact there was very little difference in policy between the DP and UPC.
The first election in Uganda prior to Independence saw the Democratic Party as the largest party, however the UPC formed an alliance of convenience with the Kabaka Yekka and Milton Obote became Prime Minister, promising to preserve the Kabaka's status in Buganda. That alliance did not last and in 1966, Obote ordered the military against the Kabaka who fled into exile. The Kabaka Yekka party was banned and Benedicto Kiwanuka was imprisoned.
New Political Forces
When Obote was overthrown in 1971 by Idi AminIdi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
, Benedicto Kiwanuka accepted a ministerial post in the new government. He was eventually murdered by Amin's agents. All political parties were banned in Uganda during Idi Amin's rule.
The Democratic Party emerged again after Idi Amin was overthrown in 1979. The absence of the Kabaka Yekka party now made the Democratic Party the main political force in Buganda and Southern Uganda, while the UPC consolidated its support in the North. This regional polarisation of Ugandan politics had made the Democratic Party a convenient vehicle for Baganda to express their political aspirations which had moved significantly towards autonomy after the apparent economic and political failure of the Ugandan state. This was further enhanced by the brutality of the new government whose army was dominated by Northerners. To many Baganda, DP was the first stage to achieving the return of the Kabaka and the "independence" of Buganda.
The leadership of the Democratic Party did not share this view, but went along with it. The new leader Paul Ssemogerere
Paul Ssemogerere
Paul Kawanga Ssemongere was the leader of the Democratic Party in Uganda for 25 years and one of the main players in Ugandan politics until his retirement in 2005. He is also a member of the Roman Catholic.-Early life and education:...
was a political novice but used the Buganda aspiration effectively and provided a significant challenge to the UPC led once again by Milton Obote in the 1980 elections. These elections are widely believed to have been rigged by the Military Junta that ruled Uganda after Idi Amin in favour of Milton Obote and the UPC.
A third political party the Uganda Patriotic Movement
Uganda Patriotic Movement
The Uganda Patriotic Movement is a defunct political party in Uganda. It was founded by Yoweri Museveni and participated in the December 1980 general elections, which were won by Milton Obote's Uganda People's Congress...
(UPM) led by Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician and statesman. He has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985...
rejected the result and went to the bush to start a guerrilla war. There was pressure on the Democratic Party to reject the result, but the leadership decided to take their seats in parliament much to the disappointment of their supporters. However one of Democratic Party's younger leaders Andrew Kayiira
Andrew Kayiira
Andrew Lutaakome Kayiira , M.A., PhD, was the Leader of the Uganda Freedom Movement , a guerrilla organization that fought the governments of Milton Obote and Tito Okello between 1980 and 1986...
did take up arms to fight the new government, joining an organisation called Uganda Freedom Movement.
When Yoweri Museveni came to power, he was able to outflank any support the Democratic Party retained in Buganda by allowing the Kabaka's son to return and be crowned as a ceremonial king. The Democratic Party performed so badly in the elections in 2006 it is doubtful whether the party will ever regain its popularity.
Factions
Since the 2006 elections, the party has struggled to find its place in Ugandan politics. In-fighting and factionalism have driven away many of its traditional supporters.External links
- Archive of defunct DP website - www.dpuganda.org (March 2004)
- New DP website - www.dp-uganda.com (October 2006)