afrol News, 29 July - Preliminary results from yesterday's referendum over a constitutional amendment opening for multi-party democracy show that around 90 percent of voters backed the reform. Political parties, banned since the mid-1980s, thus will be reintroduced before next year's elections.

Election officials in Uganda this evening announced that almost 90 percent of voters yesterday had said "yes" to the following question: "Do you agree to open up the political space to allow those who wish to join different organisations/parties to do so to compete for political power?"

The officers however also confirmed what had become obvious during yesterday's poll; that the referendum failed to engage Ugandan voters. Only about one third of the electorate bothered to go to the polling stations yesterday, despite have been given the day off.

Both President Yoweri Museveni and the opposition had been in favour of allowing parties to be established. But while President Museveni urged Ugandans to show up massively and vote "yes", most opposition leaders told the electorate to boycott the poll as it only would serve to further legitimise Mr Museveni's hold on power. The low voter turnout therefore was seen as a setback for the President.

Nevertheless, the "yes" vote will introduce new qualities to democracy in Uganda. President Museveni banned political parties in Uganda 19 years ago, saying the tradition of ethnically divided parties had been a major factor behind Uganda's decades of chaos, dictatorships and civil wars. Opposition voices nevertheless were allowed - at least during the last years - and non-party opposition candidates have gathered many votes in recent elections.

President Museveni's "African democracy model" - termed the "Movement" system - however has never been accepted as a true democracy, especially due to the ban of political parties. Following criticism from the national opposition and main foreign allies, including Washington, the Ugandan President therefore decided to let the population vote in a referendum over his non-party system.

Ugandan also voted over the "Movement" system in a referendum five years ago. At that stage, however, President Museveni urged voters to say "no" to political parties as they would threaten stability in the country. According to official results, the President had it his way, but the opposition claimed the poll had been rigged.

The opposition, which is well organised in Uganda despite the current ban of political parties, will not waste time in establishing parties. Already next year, Uganda faces new presidential polls where President Museveni seems to be planning for re-election. The opposition is set to regroup soon to plan for next year's campaigning.

It remains to be seen whether the opposition manages to set up a unifying party to challenge President Museveni, however. If the result of yesterday's referendum is the establishment of a large number of competing opposition parties, Mr Museveni again may have managed to outmanoeuvre the opposition.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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