Impact of Multiparty Politics on Local Government in Uganda

Abstract

Following years of civil strife, Uganda emerged as a “movement only” state under the National Resistance Movement led by Yoweri Museveni. One of the major innovations of this new government was to implement a strategy of administrative and fiscal decentralization. This experiment was long hailed as an African success story, but the reemergence of multiparty politics in 2006 is having a major impact on local governance. This study traces the development of political parties and local governments in Uganda. It then examines how multiparty politics has resulted in changes that have impacted decision making at the local government level. The study concludes that multiparty politics is leading to fiscal insolvency of local governments, the creation of unviable new district governments, and administrative recentralization.