Uganda

Uganda A landlocked country in east Africa, it became a British protectorate in 1894. The colonial authorities ruled through pre-existing power structures, however, which did little to reduce the rivalry between the 40 different ethnic groups. After 1900, many Indians settled there and began to dominate the business community, even though they had originally been brought into the country to work on the railway line from Lake Victoria to the Indian Ocean. Upon independence on 9 October 1962, Mutesa II, who was the leader of the country's largest ethnic group (the Buganda), became President, though real power was exerted by Prime Minister Obote. Uganda experienced a series of crises which were caused by ethnic conflicts and increasing army brutality. Obote tried to emulate Nyerere's Arusha Declaration in Tanzania and introduce an adapted version of socialism, but this was contested by the business community, and opposed by Britain and the USA. Obote was replaced by Amin, who led a corrupt and oppressive regime. Economic progress was sacrificed to finance the army, while his nationalist Africanization policies, especially the expulsion of the Indian community, proved economic suicide. His ill-judged attack on Tanzania led to the collapse of his army in 1979, and, after a tumultuous transition period, Obote returned to power.

Again Obote failed to integrate his country's mutually hostile groups, who were further antagonized by his regime through his austere economic policy under the guidance of the IMF. He was deposed on 27 July 1985, and the virtual anarchy that followed was ended by Museveni's accession to power. Museveni only gradually restored stability as Uganda's economic troubles worsened. During the 1980s the price of coffee, which made up over 90 per cent of its exports, tumbled. Nevertheless, Museveni's rule provided Uganda with one of the highest economic growth rates in Africa. In 1994 elections to a constitutional assembly were held, which was made up of a multitude of groups and factions. It decided (22 June 1995) not to introduce a multi-party democracy. As a result, political parties remained inactive. This stance was implicitly endorsed on 9 May 1996, when Museveni was confirmed in office in a general election by an overwhelming majority across tribal groups. Through his economic reforms, Museveni had developed into something of a darling of the IMF, the World Bank, and other organs of the international community. Despite the high military expenditure involved in Uganda's participation in the civil war in neighbouring Congo, Uganda became the first country to qualify for the HIPC Initiative in 2000.