The Challenge of Building Strong Political Parties for Democratic Governance in Uganda: Does multiparty politics have a future?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to locate the function of political parties in democratic governance. It examines the problems encountered by political parties in the process of building and sustaining competitive political systems. It looks back at the conditions that have led to a resurgence of multiparty democracy in the last two decades and highlights the Ugandan case as a country that has emerged from a failed state to monopoly politics and to back to multipartyism. It points out that Uganda has not had a history of successful multiparty democracy. Political parties have had very limited opportunity to contribute positively to the process of democratic governance in the country. This explains why parties remain weak. They lack institutional support, an enabling political will and financial resources to facilitate their role in the transition to effective democratic politics. It is an attempt to answer the question: with the dominant party determined to retain power at all costs, can parties have a chance of influencing the course of democratisation in the country? To achieve this objective, the paper is divided in three parts. Part one reviews the literature and theoretical arguments regarding the functionality of political parties. Part two deals with the problems of democratisation Part three puts forward suggestions for making political parties more effective vehicles of democratic governance.