An Analytic Note on The "No-Party" Politics of Uganda
文章来源： 日期：2009-04-30
| An Analytic Note on The "No-Party" Politics of Uganda | |||
| 作 者： | 魏翠萍 | 完成时间： | 1998-8-1 |
| 成果形式： | 学术论文 | 奖 项： | |
| 课题类别： | |||
| 简 介： | An Analytic Note on The "No-Party" Politics of Uganda Wei Cuiping Uganda has undergone great changes and seen an outstanding achievement under the leadership of president Museveni since he came to power 1986. This is the fact that today even the Ugandan dissidents couldn''t deny it. Uganda has distinguished itself by adopting policies which both politically and economically tally with the actual situation of the country. Economically, the NRM has somehow made headway in rehabilitating the infrastructure and material well-being of the country. Politically President Museveni has devised a grassroots strategy that sought to bring about participatory democracy in Uganda, namely the politics of "No-Party Democracy ". In this presentation what I would like to deal with is its background, the characteristic, and the way in which it works, the role it plays, the influence it has on African countries and the problems it has. The Background of emergent politics of "No-Party Democracy" The development of "No-Party Democracy" politics in Uganda has its background of history and politics both at home and abroad. Basically, most African states have modeled their pre-colonial governments on the system of politics and administration after independence. Generally, the first step they took is Africanization; that is to say, offices of former white colonialists were being replaced by the African elite. The first generation of African leaders is nationalists who made many sacrifices in the brave unremitting struggles against the colonists. However, there were constraints in their efforts of building their countries, because they had no experience in running the new state. Furthermore, most of them had got their higher education in the suzerain state, and were more or less influenced by various ideologies of the former colonial powers. Besides, during the cold war period, there was impact from the contending for sphere of influence between U.S. and USSR. Under such circumstances African countries have been placed in a dilemma to suffer either from political turbulence or economic straits in the past 30 years or so. During the time, Ugandan people suffered a lot from the situation of political instability which saw that there had taken place a frequent change of regimes from1962 to 1985.In much of that period, the country suffered severely from repeated civil wars and killings, plundering by bandits and rebellions. It was reported that state-inspired violence had accounted for the death up to half a million people in the period after Amin Hooper and Pirouet, 1989. As many as 800,000 Ugandans were killed under the regimes of Amin, Obote and Okello according to a report from the current government. In his early years when he was a student in mid 1960''s, President Museveni started groping for a way out for African countries, especial for his own country Uganda by studying works of Fanon, Lenin, Mark, Mao, Rodney and the Western liberal thinker Galbraith. Later on he went to Mozambique to learn guerrilla war. Realized sectarianism is the main problem in political crisis of Uganda, President Museveni took up armed struggle against the murderous regime of Amin in early 1970''s, and later started a guerrilla war to fight against obote''s sectarian dictatorship in 1981. During the guerrilla war, National Resistance Movement NRM led by President Museveni set up resistance councils RCs and committees of five levels from grass-roots to top through election in the liberated areas in order to meet the need of struggle and realize democracy in their country that they fought for. Soon after the National Resistance Movement NRM took power in 1986 through 5 years of guerilla struggle, President Museveni formed a National Resistance Council equal to the parliament with both civilian and military members, and announced the policy of national reconciliation. The new government was confronting a situation of endless dispute among parties and sects, tribal feud, religious dissension and antagonism between the northern and the southern Uganda. Banditry, indiscipline and lawlessness remained rife everywhere, especially in the north. Ugandan government has made The NRM Ten-Point Programme drawn during the guerrilla wars their policy in internal and external affairs after coming to power. The concrete policies at the time were as follows: 1, practicing the policies of national reconciliation, and persisting in forming a united government of broad support with National Resistant Movement being the nucleus. The new cabinet was to include members of wide diversely such as prominent figures like Paul Ssemogerer of the DP, Moses Ali, a former minister in Amin regime, and other personnel from different parties and groups. President Museveni also paid much attention to keep the balance between representatives of various circles such as religious sects tribal communities and others. He has made several cabinet reshuffles and personnel shifts. 2, Meanwhile the new government announced suspension of political party''s activities, so as to get rid of regionalism, tribalism and religious'' influence, but the political parties themselves were not banned. 3, In order to end the prolonged civil war, the new government made efforts to appeal to peace talks with the armed rebellions, while secondarily, to resort to arms in suppressing them. 4, The new government, first of all, established a system of elected councils of 5 levels in a determined effort to promote grass-roots democracy. This is the basis of the "movement" system of the government, and also the base of "No-Party Politics". The political situation began to calm down and peace and order were gradually restored. For the ruined economy of the country, the new government launched immediately an emergency scheme for the rehabilitation of war-ravaged areas, and more than a year later, it implemented the Economic Recovery Programme with a long-term goal of creating a viable and, as far as possible, self-sufficient economy. From 1987 to the present, steady progress has been seen on macroeconomic stabilization. The Characteristic of Uganda''s "No-Party Democracy" Politics As the widespread and unprecedented multi-partyism democratic movement swept across African continent in the early 1990s, Uganda under President Museveni maintained "no-Party Democracy" in defiance of the pressure exerted by the western powers from abroad and the dissidents at home. Museveni says that he favors a no party democracy because political parties in Africa polarize on sectarian lines, such as religious or tribal. In addition, by maintaining the "no-party democracy" Uganda could avoid the political strife, which is the common outcome of the rivalry between religious, sects and tribal communities. President Museveni is a leader of new generation in Africa. He has a new thinking on African development and is bold and resolute in solving problems of Uganda. In addition, he is good at drawing experience and lessons from others, and making flexible economic and political policies in accordance with the actual situation of his own country. 1, Museveni is not like the first generation of the founding fathers of African states, who confined themselves to efforts of groping amid the ideological rivalries between the West and the East. He has drawn lessons from the experience of these founding fathers in regard of choosing an appropriate way for African development in post-independent period. He has formulated and put into effort the NRM "Ten-point Progammme" for guiding the national building, and brought about a development road that maintains independence and keeps the initiative and tallies with the actual situation of his own country. 1 The government practices "No Party Democracy", and has set up "movement" system of 5 levels, that is to form the "Resistance Councils" RCs at levels of the village, the Parish, the sub-county, the county and the district respectively. Origin of RCs Originally, RCs were set up during the war launched by NRM against Obote''s regime, especially within the liberated areas of the Luwero Triangle in the southern part of the country, which was under Museveni''s control in1982. As Eriya Kategaya, the first deputy Prime Minister and National Political Commissioner said in an interview: These Rcs were born out of necessity to survive during the struggle. When we started, we used to go and approach influential people in the village and convince them about our struggle, convince them of our strength and although the enemy looked very strong, we could transform that because of the correctness of our cause. This went on from 1981 to mid-1982, just contacting individuals. In the course of this, there was a problem that if you picked upon a wrong man in the village that would be the image of the Movement…that is when we decided that the leadership in these villages should be elected. In any case, we were struggling for democracy. The RCs system started from grassroots at village level up to the national level. At grassroots level, all adult villagers constitute the Resistance Council of the Village, known as RC1. The RC1, the Village Council, elected a nine-member committee that is RC1committee or the Resistance Committee of the village, which was in charge of village affairs. The RC1 committee members from all villages in a parish formed the Resistance Council of the parish, the RC2. This council also elected a nine-member committee, the RC2 committee. All RC2 committee members from a sub-county made up the Resistance Council of Sub-county, the RC3, which elected a nine-member committee of the RC3. Up to the Rc5, the structure of RCs was built like a pyramid. In these areas, elected committees, the RCs, acted as local governments that were to run general administration, control crime, mobilize food, and seek recruits and intelligence information. They functioned as support organizations for the National Resistant Army NRA and at the same time as the government and administration of the liberated areas. The elected nine members of committees of all levels have different responsibilities such as chairman, vice chairman, general secretary and secretaries for youth, women, information, education and mass mobilization, finance and security. It was also a new way of exercising democracy at the local level and was especially popular among the peasants. For the peasants, these organizations meant that they now have the right to say and to run their own affairs. Thus, RCs system was an important and necessary instrument for NRM to win the guerrilla struggle. Improvement of RCs After winning the war, the new regime under Museveni made efforts to institutionalize some experimentation in the wartime. The most important political reform was to institutionalize the Resistance Councils politically and administratively, and to extend the system of RCs to the whole country. Through RCs there has been established a good relation between the army and the civilian. RCs cooperated closely with the NRA in fighting the rebel groups, but a civil control of the army was deliberately ensured. If elements of the NRA happened to commit undisciplined acts, RCs would report abuses of power to higher authorities or simply disarm and arrest the soldiers who misbehaved. NRA authorities backed such a procedure. This is of course an innovation that has never been heard of before either in Uganda or in Africa. It makes the NRA win upon local people and become very popular among them. Over the years Ugandan government has improved RC system and given local RCs more power. Since 1989 the National Resistance Council which acted as the parliament had been partly elected through this system. The NRC was the apex of RC system, which played the role of a legislature before 1995. Moreover, the RC system is the heart of "no-Party Democracy" politics. RCs of lower levels, while being allowed to exercise control over local affairs, are subject to superior laws. By the 1993 Decentralization Statute, RCs were given supervisory power over civil servants as well as money. The district RC5 committee acts as an actual local government. It has staff and budget of its own. The elected RC5 committee members the councilors and the District Executive Secretary who is the head of government staff of the district hold full responsibility for it. There are also District Administrators appointed by the President, they are the political heads of the district. They supervise, and occasionally interfere in political development and district council affairs. All levels of the RC system can pass by-laws and the RC committees at levels of RC1, RC2 and RC3 function as courts with jurisdiction over civil cases. Under the 1996 constitution, these resistance councils have been renamed local councils LCs 1-5. RCs as the heart of "No-party Democracy" politics Composed of NRA high command and civilian leaders of the movement, the NRC had been the law and policy-making body for NRM since the early stage of guerrilla war. It continued to be the supreme organ of the movement until the election of a new parliament under the 1995 constitution. When NRM took power in 1986, NRC was expanded to include appointed ministers of the government. In 1989, it was expanded to include 282 members who were representatives of counties and municipalities consisting of elected members of RC3 councils. Elections for the expanded NRC were carried out on a non-party basis. Within the NRM''s concept of a broad-based government and the RC system, everybody stands free to become a candidate eligible for being voted on by the people regardless of his religious, social or political view. The sole criterion of electing a candidate is according to his deeds, not to his background of religion or party. The NRM is not a political party, and everyone in Uganda belongs to it. Therefore, no one could be barred and expelled from the NRM and thus from the political activities launched by it. The "no-party" democratic political system existing presently in Uganda is an open one in which anyone acceptable to the local voters enjoys full freedom of action. Under this system, Ugandans enjoy freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Thus, the present regime distinguishes itself outstandingly from its predecessors. For a long time before NRM came to power, Ugandans had suffered from fear of being killed or put into jail on account of free expression. Freedom of the press is thriving in Uganda today. It has been done far better in Uganda than in many other African countries. The government also allows dissidents to exist. It even tolerates the Uganda People''s Congress UPC supporters to hold a grand ceremony like that of a state funeral for the late vice president Paulo Muwanga of Obote''s second regime who had been notorious for commitment of mass killing. Ugandans'' "No-Party Democracy" is substantially different from monocracy. There is real difference between Museveni''s consultative democracy and a single-party state, and it has democratic guarantees and set a limit of two terms for the tenure of the president. Museveni extracts some features of modern and contemporary democracy, and practices a political system that tallies with the trait of African society. By the trait of African society is meant the way of the social orders that all villagers meet to discuss village affairs, adjudicate civil cases and make decisions for their own affairs and etc. in the traditional society. The RC system of five levels from grassroots to top is similar to the way of election in the democratic centralism at grassroots in socialist countries. The parliament elections, However, is in a way that is something like elections in the West. During the latter''s election, political parties are allowed to carry on some activities of the campaign by making use of media such as radio, TV and the press, though they are required not to stand out as party members. 2 The RC system and "No-Party Democracy" is legalized by laws embodied in the constitution. In1995 the NRC and the legislature parliament refused to restore multi-party democracy, and stipulated that the candidates for legislature parliament members and the president candidates should not be representatives of any party, and should take part in the election in their own individual capacities. 3 More attention has been paid to bring into play women''s role, and there has been more concern about the promotion of women''s position. African women are an active force that should not be neglected in both political and production affairs at the grassroots. It is, however, neglected by most other African countries. President Museveni fully realizes the importance of women''s potentialities politically and on production matters, and makes guarantee of their position by laws. In each RC committee of various levels it is stipulated that there should be at least one woman member, and there are certain number of seats reserved for women. The current vice president of Uganda is a woman Madame S. Kazibwe. By bringing into play the role of woman, a good effect has shown on consolidating the state power. 4 Museveni is flexible in making policies in order to keep things going and to solve difficulties. When a major problem comes up, he would solve it by consulting and negotiating with dissident parties time and again. The opponents used to criticize the constitution draft of1992 that strengthened the power of the president, there was published a new constitution in1995 in which a certain power of the president is weakened. In order to maintain state stabilization at the same time, NRM keeps consulting or negotiating with some political parties time after time, while persists in banning their activities on the other hand. 5 Persisting in maintaining a certain number of seats for the appointed representatives in the NRC and in the Constituent Assembly since 1995, the NRM is ensured of a majority of support in legislative organs. There are 288 seats in the Constituent Assembly, among which 74 are appointed members, 62 among 276 seats in the NRC was appointed members. 6 Museveni knows well that the army is very important to the consolidation of his political power. He lays great stress on army building and keeps the superior command post of the army for himself. Since NRM took power, Ugandan people have enjoyed a stable life for 12 years. Politically the RC system has allowed thousands of Ugandans to participate in governing process, and has been popular among civilians. More and more, ordinary people support the RC system and the NRM government; they don''t want to go back again to the old days of civil strife. Its Problems and future Although some progress has been made in establishing political stability and economic prosperity in various parts of Uganda, there have still been problems and difficulties. 1 Opponents have challenged President Museveni''s political strategy and questioned his commitment to establishing a genuine democratic form of government in Uganda, In particular, they point to his refusal to lift the ban on political parties and his support of "no-party" politics with a "no-party" constitution. The old parties used to stick to their old interests and always want to restore their lost power. They advocate multi-parties democracy. 2 Apart from sectarianism, many Ugandan elite is subject to the influence of democracy of the western style. The lawyer, the law society and similar organizations especially, like to copy principles and concepts from the British law, such as the separation of executive, legislative and legal powers. Also there are shortcomings of the RCs, including lack of education of the members, mob law existed sometimes. So there are different views between the elite and the peasants over the RC system, and there are contradictions between them. 3 There are some armed rebellions still harassing people in northern, northwest and southwest parts of Uganda. Though their force is not big, and with no mass support, they, however. have supports from neighboring countries. This impedes the economic recovery and development and constitute threats to people''s lives. 4 The Government has not yet extended the benefits of its policies to many areas of the country. Especially, the northern part of Uganda has been under the influence of UPC historically for a long time. The development of the area is slow because the campaign against rebellions has lasted for many years and done a lot of damages to the area making it remain backward even today. To win over the northerners is important for the government to guarantee the stabilization of the Ugandan society. 5 Relying greatly on a large amount of aid from the western donors, the government would run into trouble if it could not appease them by trying for a suppression of rebels, bandits and dissidents. 6 Many Ugandans concern about the peaceful transfer of presidential power in the future. Museveni is an energetic man of great vision with charisma of leadership. He has won a good reputation and is popular among most Ugandans. The Ugandan people are worrying about the fact that without the leadership of President Museveni, their country would sink into chaos. To maintain unity in a state would prove to be an empty talk, if there is no proper system to maintain political power. At least it would come to be a problem in the future for the country. 7 There is corruption among government officials. Above all, Museveni''s presidency has proved to be an important turning point in Uganda''s post-independence history. The Ugandan government has been trying hard politically and economically to move away the shackles inherited from colonialism, and clear the consequences left by the violence of past regimes. Museveni has been probing a developing road that would tally with the situation of his own country and suit the features of Africa. Uganda ''s "no-Party Democracy" politics has brought about a bright future for Africa. The western style multi-party democracy hasn''t brought development and stability in most African countries. What have been brought about are disorders conflicts between tribes and economic recession. The NRM government has persisted in the RC system and no-party politics all the time, in spite of the pressure exerted by internal and external forces on them to apply multiparty democracy. Uganda''s no-party politics has drawn some African countries'' attention. They have sent delegations to observe the operation of the system. Though the RC system is not a perfect set-up, it is, however, a new thing and is on the improvement. Moreover, it proves good for the majority of Ugandan people and suitable to African society. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the people of Uganda would finally take it as the cornerstone of their new political system at the end of the century. Let''s wait and see. ——本文刊载于“Africa Beyond 2000”,中国社科院西亚非洲研究所1998年8月内部出版。 | ||
