Politics of Uganda
The political system of Uganda is semi- democratic, since although several parties exist, but the ruling party National Resistance Movement Organisation ( NRM -O) holds the greatest power.
Executive Power
The president is head of state and is elected by universal suffrage for a term of 5 years. The Minister of the Cabinet are appointed after selection by the Parliament by the President. The Prime Minister shall assist the President in the leadership of the Cabinet.
Legislative authority
The National Assembly consists of 292 members, of which 214 are directly elected and 78 are elected by regional associations. The representation of the national associations consists of 53 women (one for each district ), 5 representatives of youth, five representatives of the disabled and 5 representatives of the trade unions.
Parliamentary and presidential elections in 2011
On 18 February 2011 were held legislative and presidential elections in Uganda. The NRM and Museveni were able to consolidate their power base and confirm their overwhelming dominance in the political operation in the country. According to official statistics of the Ugandan Electoral Commission incumbent Museveni won 68.38 percent of the more than eight million votes for itself and is thus clear winner of the presidential elections. His main rival, Kizza Besigye, who took for the opposition Inter- Party Cooperation Platform (IPC ), came to a total of 26 percent of the vote.
Even in Parliament arises again an overwhelming majority in favor of the NRM. 167 seats directly elected MPs from the constituencies and additional 83 seats for women representatives who are also elected directly at the district level accounts, the NRM. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC ) was able to secure a total of only 34 seats.
The elections ran into the overall picture relatively orderly and peaceful especially from than any previous series of elections in Uganda. Although this time was also reported from individual cases of violent conflict at the local level on Election Day, a nationwide escalation, however, did not it.
Judiciary powers
The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive power. It consists of the magistrates courts, the Higher Courts, the Appelationsgerichten and finally the Supreme Court. The judges of the higher courts are nominated by the President. The judges of the Appelationsgerichte be appointed by the President with the consent of Parliament.
Legal system
The Ugandan Constitution was adopted on 8 October 1995 by the Constituent Assembly, according to a project of the federal Constitution of May 1993. The legal system is based on the British common law since then, and secondarily of the East African common law. Uganda recognizes the authority of the International Court of Justice with reservations.