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1 1 (August 6, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbark0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ,U d Congressiona Research Service ~Informinj the legislative debate since 1914 Uganda Updated August 6, 2019 U.S. officials have viewed Uganda as a key security partner in East Africa for over a decade. The country has played a lead role in high-profile counterterrorism and stability operations in the region, most notably in Somalia. Uganda is major recipient of U.S. foreign aid and has been one of the top recipients of U.S. security assistance in Africa. The United States provides logistics, training, equipment, and advisory support to the Ugandan military for its regional operations. Reports of torture and unlawful killings by security forces complicate the bilateral relationship, though, as do growing concerns about Uganda's political trajectory. The country has never had a democratic transition of power. Politics President Yoweri Museveni, who seized power in a rebellion over three decades ago, is among the world's longest-serving heads of state. Once dubbed part of a new generation of African leaders, Museveni, now in his 70s, wrote in 1986, The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to stay in power. His government's reputation has been marred by reported corruption, repression, and other abuses of power. High unemployment, rising crime, land disputes, and communal tensions have fueled popular discontent, as have poor service delivery and uneven development among Uganda's regions. The opposition has long been divided, but a new movement now seeks to harness mounting frustration among a youthful electorate to push for change. President Museveni was reelected to a fifth term in 2016, in a vote marked by allegations of voter intimidation, harassment of the opposition, and the misuse of state funds. His main challengers were two former government officials: former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Both were repeatedly arrested by police; Besigye was detained on election day and kept under house arrest during the post-election period, preventing him from filing a legal challenge. The State Department suggested that the electoral irregularities and conduct reported were deeply inconsistent with international standards for a democratic process, contending that the Ugandan people deserved better. The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which was formed from the rebel movement Museveni led in the 1980s, dominates the parliament. The military, which is constitutionally granted seats in parliament, is widely viewed as a key constituency for Museveni. Uganda's parliament abolished presidential term limits in 2005. The constitution has barred candidates above age 75 from vying for the presidency, but in late 2017, parliament voted to remove the age limit after contentious debate, paving the way for Museveni to potentially stand for a sixth term in 2021. The age limit debate spurred protests and a security force crackdown. A 2017 survey suggested most Ugandans support presidential age and term limits. ittps:!icrsrepo Source: Data from CIA World Factbook, IMF (2019). Musician Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi), who was elected to parliament as an independent in 2017, has emerged as the new, youthful face of the opposition. His protest songs have raised government ire (his concerts are routinely blocked), and he has drawn large crowds with his slogan of people power. He was a vocal opponent of lifting the presidential age limit. In August 2018, during a parliamentary by- election campaign, his driver was killed by an elite security unit and Wine, among others, was detained and beaten. He and several fellow parliamentarians were accused of inciting violence against Museveni's motorcade and charged with treason. The incident spurred outrage and protests. The musician-turned-politician announced in July 2019 that he would vie, presumably against Museveni, for the presidency in 2021. Meanwhile, his trial is ongoing; he would be ineligible to run if convicted. Human Rights Concerns The State Department's human rights report on Uganda documents restrictions on political freedoms and incidents of torture, excessive force, and unlawful killings by security forces; it notes that officers implicated in abuses often enjoy impunity. Human right groups have criticized the government for failing to hold security personnel accountable for torture (more than 1,000 allegations of torture were reported between 2012 and 2016 alone) or for the deaths of over 150 people, including children, during operations in Kasese, in western Uganda, in 2016. Activists raise concerns with several laws, including the Public Order Management Act, which gives police broad authority to block public meetings and detain opposition candidates and supporters. Another law adopted in 2015 tightened the regulation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), prohibiting activity contrary to the dignity of the people of Uganda. The government monitors social media and has arrested critics, citing the Antiterrorism Act and other laws. In 2018, the government imposed a social media tax on users (it blocked social media during the 2016 polls). rtscongs

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