WHOSE
POWER DO THE LEADERS EXERCISE IN UGANDA AND WHY?
By
Sarah Bireete
Democracy is popularly defined as the
government of the people, for the people and by the people. This simply means rule of the majority i.e. "a government in which
the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or
indirectly through a system of representation.
One theory holds that
democracy requires three fundamental principles: (1) upward control, i.e.
sovereignty residing at the lowest levels of authority, (2) political equality,
and (3) social norms by which individuals and institutions only consider
acceptable acts that reflect the first two principles of upward control and
political equality.
The term
"democracy" is sometimes used as shorthand for liberal
democracy, which is a variant of representative
democracy that may include elements such as political pluralism;
equality before the law; the right
to petition elected officials for
redress of grievances; due
process; civil
liberties; human
rights; and elements of civil
society outside the government.
In any democracy, government
authority flows from the people and is based upon their consent. This is also
enshrined in Article 1 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda as amended
(Sovereignty of the People)
Democracy is a system of government in which a
country’s political leaders are chosen by the people in regular, free, and fair
elections. In a democracy, people have a choice between different candidates
and parties who want the power to govern. The people can criticize and
replace their elected leaders and representatives if they do not perform
well. The people are sovereign—they are the highest authority—and government
is based on the will of the people. Elected representatives at the
national and local levels must listen to the people and be responsive to their
needs.
What is the Role of the Citizen in a Democracy?
Citizens participate in public affairs, with
respect for different points of view.
The key role of citizens in a democracy is
participation. This takes many forms. Citizens have an obligation to
become informed about public issues, to monitor the conduct of their leaders
and representatives, and to express their own opinions. Participation
also involves voting in elections, debating issues, attending community
meetings, becoming involved in private, voluntary organizations, and even
protesting. However, political participation in a democracy must be
peaceful, respectful of the law, and tolerant of the different views of other
groups and individuals.
Thus, in any democracy, political freedom lies
at the heart of the concept of democracy. ... the legislation, legal decisions,
and acts of government officials do not violate basic rights #Liberties
The quality of democracy and involvement of the
people can be determined using:
(i) The three
principles of democracy which are: Freedom, control and equality
(ii)
Individual liberties including right to physical liberty and right to free
conduct of life
(iii) Rule of law
including equality before the law and quality of legal system
(iv) Freedom to associate and freedom of opinion
(v) Vulnerability and contestability during political competitions?
(vi) Horizontal and vertical checks of the three powers
(vii) Government capability i.e. resources versus efficient implementation
(viii) Transparency i.e. no secrecy and transparent political processes
(ix) Equality of participation and effective participation
(x) Representation - is it substantive representation or descriptive representation?
In view of the foregoing, what’s the behavior and character if Ugandans and how does the same impact on our democracy? Do we have representative democracy in its true sense?
(iv) Freedom to associate and freedom of opinion
(v) Vulnerability and contestability during political competitions?
(vi) Horizontal and vertical checks of the three powers
(vii) Government capability i.e. resources versus efficient implementation
(viii) Transparency i.e. no secrecy and transparent political processes
(ix) Equality of participation and effective participation
(x) Representation - is it substantive representation or descriptive representation?
In view of the foregoing, what’s the behavior and character if Ugandans and how does the same impact on our democracy? Do we have representative democracy in its true sense?
The
People
What
are our power relations and does public opinion matter at all? A clear example
of this is the recent private prosecution of Uganda’s IGP about police
brutality – How does the state treat its people and does it matter what the
people think?
If not, then whose power do the leaders
exercise in Uganda and why?
