Forever vanguards of the revolution: the Uganda People’s Defence Forces’ liberation legacy, 30 years on

Abstract

The National Resistance Movement government in Uganda after three decades in power still appeals to the legacy of the liberation struggle to reaffirm and legitimize its control over the state. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces as the regime’s historical midwife play a critical role in these symbolic politics. Retaining institutions and practices of revolutionary politicization, the military serves in political, social and economic roles which blur the boundaries between the civilian and the military. In this way, the military conveys the moral and coercive authority of the post-revolutionary regime.