Legal system:
in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on
English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 26 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 Apollo NSIBAMBI
(since 5 April 1999); 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 reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); 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 69.3%, Kizza
BESIGYE 27.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by
popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest
groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex
officio members; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved
by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the
president)
Political parties and leaders:
only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
NRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
Ugandans
note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451