KAMPALA – On Friday, September 6th, 2024, a historic national dialogue brought together political and civic actors at Mestil Hotel & Residences in Kampala, Uganda. The event, organized by Akina Mama Wa Afrika in conjunction with IPOD, aimed to reflect on the state of democracy in Uganda and explore possible alternatives for strengthening and building inclusive democracy.
Eunice Musiime, Executive Director of Akina Mama Wa Afrika, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of the conversation.
According to her, while progress has been made, significant challenges persist, including the erosion of civic space, fragile political institutions, and a diminishing role for civic actors.
“We are at a critical juncture in terms of democracy. We have seen some gains, but there are also threats like closing civic space, weak political institutions, and shrinking space for civic actors. We need to ask ourselves, do citizens feel like they are citizens or subjects in their own country?”
She added, however, opportunities abound, particularly among the youthful population, who are increasingly resisting poor governance.
Musiime says technology also offers a powerful tool to enhance democratic engagement which Uganda should leverage.
“Furthermore, there is a growing awareness of political issues, with citizens demanding more accountability from their governments. To build a robust democracy, we must cultivate a culture that values equity, fairness, and inclusion, ensuring continuous participation and representation in decision-making processes. Additionally, research is crucial to address knowledge gaps, such as effective youth engagement strategies.”
Gen Mugisha Muntu, President of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), delivered a keynote address, criticizing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime.
“The more time passes, the more mistakes the regime continues to commit. It’s evident to citizens that this country has lost direction again. However, we hope that people will not give up. They must remain committed and organized to remove this regime and build a foundation for more suitable democratic processes.”
Muntu says there are many Ugandans that believe in transparency in managing national resources, equality, and justice, but unfortunately, most of them are not in politics.
“That’s the dilemma this country faces. Unless they participate in leadership, we’ll remain in this mess because most politicians are driven by selfish interests. Ugandans who know what’s right and can make a difference are out there, but for some reason, they remain on the sidelines, hoping things will improve, leaving us wondering who they think will change the situation.”
Dr. Jude Kagolo, a renowned expert on democracy, highlighted the importance of democratic institutions.
“Democracy represents our commitment to justice and power to shape our societies. It’s a foundation upon which our freedom, rights, and shared aspirations rest. Today, democratic institutions have been challenged like never before. But we also have remarkable opportunities to leverage, like improved technology enabling transparent elections and vibrant civic movements across the world.”
He noted that every individual has an equal chance to engage in electoral processes and make their voice count. However, elections in Uganda and several other countries face challenges like misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media, aimed at disrupting the electoral process. Furthermore, he says economic inequality poses a significant hurdle, as it’s impossible to establish a robust democratic system when the wealth gap continues to widen.
Maj (rtd) Awich Pollar, Director External Affairs of NRM, acknowledged society’s dynamism and the need for developing democracy.
“As NRM, we are focusing on the ingredients that can make us achieve that. For example, in the next election, there is hope that it will be purely machine-voting, so we don’t have issues to do with paper rigging. We want to ensure that people’s decisions are reflected in entirety.”
The national dialogue sparked hope for change, emphasizing the need for collective effort to strengthen and build inclusive democracy in Uganda. Participants recognized the challenges but also saw opportunities for growth and improvement.
Ms. Musiime noted, “We need to think about building a democratic culture so that we don’t see elections as a beginning and ending but continuously build a culture that values equity, fairness, inclusion, and ensures everyone participates and is represented in spaces of decision making.”