|
 |
Uganda
| COUNTRY |
ELECTION TYPE |
DATE |
| Republic
of Uganda |
Referendum
on system of government |
June 29, 2000 |
At stake
in this election:
- Referendum on system
of government that poses the question:
- "Which political
system do you wish to adopt, Movement or Multiparty".
|
Description
of government structure:
- Chief of State & Head of
Government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
- Parliament: Uganda has a
unicameral parliament National Assembly with 276 members.
|
Main
provisions in this Referendum:
-
If the Movement
wins the referendum, the current political system will remain and restrictions
on political party activity will continue.
-
If the multipartists
win the referendum, the restrictions on political parties probably will
be removed.
- A majority of overall
votes cast are required for a new political system to be adopted.
|
Population
and number of registered voters:
- Population: 22,804,973 (July
1999 est.)
- Number of registered voters: Number of registered voters:
8,500,000 (approx.)
|
Of Interest:
- Provision for a referendum
on political systems was made in the 1995 Constitution after Constituent
Assembly delegates failed to reach consensus on a future political system
for Uganda.
- The two options in the
referendum are represented by political activists with different concepts
of public participation. Those who support the ruling National Resistance
Movement believe that the current NRM system embraces all political
ideologies and relieves the need for separate parties to function. Those
who support multipartyism believe that the NRM does not promote an inclusive
environment for all political ideologies, and that other political parties
should have equal operating status with the Movement.
- Uganda's oldest political
parties, including the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) and Democratic
Party (DP), believe that the current constitution unfairly infringes
upon Ugandans' rights of assembly, association, and free speech. The
party leaders are calling for a boycott of the referendum because they
believe these rights are not subject to vote.
|
| SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES) |
| For additional information:
IFES ElectionGuide Online |
|
|
|
|
