Turning around the corner

Although it will take a long time to eradicate the legacies of the darkest times, most people believe that Uganda has finally turned the corner. Ugandans trace the turning point in the down-hill slide to the day the National Resistance Movement (NRM) emerged as winners in a protracted struggle for power. Finally capturing Kampala on 26 January 1986 after a five year war, the NRM quickly moved to establish a new political agenda.

In his maiden speech as President, Lt-Gen. Yoweri Museveni, Chairman of the NRM, said that the capture of power was not a mere change of guards. He talked about a 'fundamental change'. He introduced new political structures based on a nine-member Resistance Committee (RC). Set up at five levels — culminating in the National Resistance Council (NRC) — the RC has become the backbone of a decentralised sharing of power throughout society.

In February 1989 Uganda held its first national elections since 1980. In the same month President Museveni appointed a Constitutional Commission to gauge public opinion on Uganda's political future and to draft a new constitution.