Uganda: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda etymology: from the Swahili "Buganda," adopted by the British as the name for their East African colony in 1894; Buganda had been a powerful East African state during the 18th and 19th centuries |
|---|---|
| Government type | presidential republic |
| Capital | Kampala
Kampala
geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 33 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 111 districts and 1 capital city*; Abim, Adjumani, Agago, Alebtong, Amolatar, Amudat, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Buhweju, Buikwe, Bukedea, Bukomansimbi, Bukwa, Bulambuli, Buliisa, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Butambala, Buvuma, Buyende, Dokolo, Gomba, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kalungu, Kampala*, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibaale, Kiboga, Kibuku, Kiruhura, Kiryandongo, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kole, Kotido, Kumi, Kween, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Lamwo, Lira, Luuka, Luwero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mitooma, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namayingo, Namutumba, Napak, Nebbi, Ngora, Ntoroko, Ntungamo, Nwoya, Otuke, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rubirizi, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Serere, Sheema, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe, Zombo; note - four new districts, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Omoro, and Rubanda, have been reported, but not yet vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names |
| Independence | 9 October 1962 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 9 October (1962) |
| Constitution | several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1995, promulgated 8 October 1995; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law and customary law |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a native-born citizen of Uganda dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: an aggregate of 20 years and continuously for the last 2 years prior to applying for citizenship |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Vice President Edward SSEKANDI (since 24 May 2011); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Vice President Edward SSEKANDI (since 24 May 2011); Prime Minister Ruhakana RUGUNDA (since 19 September 2014); First Deputy Prime Minister Moses ALI (since 6 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda KIVEJINJA (since 6 June 2016)) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected members of the National Assembly or persons who qualify to be elected as members of the National Assembly elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limit); election last held on 18 February 2016 (next to be held in February 2021) election results: Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI reelected president; percent of vote - Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (NRM) 60.6%, Kizza BESIGYE (FDC) 35.6%, other 3.8% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Parliament (427 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 112 for women directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 25 "representatives" reserved for special interest groups - army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5; there are 13 ex-officio members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 18 February 2016 (next to be held in February 2021) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court of Uganda (consists of the chief justice and at least 10 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president of the republic in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (a 9-member independent advisory body) and approved by the National Assembly; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal (also sits as the Constitutional Court); High Court (includes 12 High Court Circuits and 8 High Court Divisions); Industrial Court; Chief Magistrate Grade One and Grade Two Courts throughout the country; qadhis courts ; local council courts; family and children courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Conservative Party or CP (Ken LUKYAMUZI) Democratic Party or DP (Norbert MAO) Forum for Democratic Change or FDC (Mugisha MUNTU) Justice Forum or JEEMA (Asuman BASALIRWA) National Resistance Movement or NRM (Yoweri MUSEVENI) Uganda People's Congress or UPC (James AKENA) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda or NAWOU (Florence NEKYON) Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or PAFO Ugandan Coalition for Political Accountability to Women or COPAW |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Oliver WONEKHA (since 6 June 2013) chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: (1) (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: (1) (202) 726-1727 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambsssador Deborah R. MALAC (since 27 February 2016) embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala mailing address: P.O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: (256) (414) 259 791 through 93, 95 FAX: (256) (414) 259-794 |
| 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 grey crowned crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side; black symbolizes the African people, yellow sunshine and vitality, red African brotherhood; the crane was the military badge of Ugandan soldiers under the UK |
| National symbol(s) | grey crowned crane; national colors: black, yellow, red |
| National anthem | name: "Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty!" lyrics/music: George Wilberforce KAKOMOA note: adopted 1962 |