Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 29 January 1986); note—the president is both chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Kintu MUSOKE (since
18 November 1994); note—the president is both chief of state and
head of government; the prime minister assists the president in the
supervision of the cabinet
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
legislators
elections: president elected by popular vote for a NA-year term;
election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001);
note—first popular election for president since independence in 1962
was held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
percent of vote—Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga
SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (276 members—214
directly elected by popular vote, 62 nominated by legally
established special interest groups and approved by the
president—women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);
election results: NA; note—election campaigning by party was not
permitted
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the
president; High Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, chairman] is recognized; note—this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution requires the suspension of political party activity until a referendum is held on the matter in 2000
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC,
EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
embassy: Parliament Avenue, Kampala
mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top),
yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at
the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol)
facing the hoist side
Economy
Economy—overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government—with the support of foreign countries and international agencies—has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. In 1990-98, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Continuation of this performance, while possible, appears difficult because of Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, growing corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's determination to press reforms.