The effects of electoral violence on Uganda’s democratisation: A case study of Uganda’s multiparty elections 2006 and 2011

Abstract

Uganda has a torrid political past and has yet to witness a democratic succession of power. The current NRM regime has for the past two decades ushered in relative peace and made significant moves towards democratic consolidation through various political reforms including the return to multiparty elections in 2006 and 2011. However the manifestation of electoral violence in these elections presents a perturbing contradiction to Uganda‟s claim to democratisation as well as producing potentially adverse outcomes in Uganda‟s already complex political history. The objective of this study is to present a thematic presentation of this problem through specifically identifying the types, causes and manifestations of electoral violence, the impact these have on Uganda‟s democratisation process and to explore strategies that may strengthen Uganda‟s multiparty democratic system. The study achieves this through using a conceptual framework of electoral violence framed over the case studies of the 2006 and 2011 multiparty general elections and using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The findings conclude that electoral violence manifests as both an isolated phenomenon aimed at subverting electoral outcomes as well as a form of a greater political conflict generated out of frustrated political goals and a lack of a democratic culture. The conclusions suggest only through the implementation of wide ranging civic education programs and the strengthening of democratic institutions can Uganda move towards a genuine consolidation of democracy and foster the development of a non-violent culture in Uganda‟s electoral affairs .