Uganda is a Sovereign State and a Republic. It is a sitting member of the United Nations, African Union, The East African Community and the Commonwealth.
The Government of the Republic of Uganda is a Democracy made up of three arms: The Executive – comprising of The President, The Vice President, The Prime Minister, The Cabinet; The Legislature – The Parliament; and The Judiciary - Magistrates' Courts, High Court, Court of Appeals (Constitutional Court), Supreme Court. The Constitution of Uganda was promulgated October 8, 1995 on the eve of Uganda’s Independence Day anniversary held annually on October 9 since 1962.
The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of Uganda, who also acts as head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Parliament and, also appoints the Cabinet. The Vice President is also part of the Executive Branch, ready to assume the Presidency should the need arise.
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Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is the current president of Uganda.
The President is both the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Uganda, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni became President of the Republic of Uganda on January 29, 1986 after leading a successful five-year liberation struggle. He went to the bush with 26 other young men and organized the National Resistance Movement and National Resistance Army (NRM/NRA) to oppose the tyranny that previous regimes had unleashed upon the population.
After victory, he formed a broad-based government that helped to unite the country's political groups.
Previous to the struggle of 1981-1986, Museveni had been one of the leaders in the anti-Amin resistance of 1971-1979 that had led to the fall of that monstrous regime.
Museveni, who has been politically active since his student days at Ntare School, Mbarara, in south west Uganda, studied political science at the University of Dar es Salaam, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science.
After Idi Amin's coup in 1971, Museveni was instrumental in forming Fronasa (the Front for National Salvation). Fronasa made up the core of one of the Ugandan fighting groups which, together with the Tanzanian People's Defence Forces, ousted Amin's regime in April 1979.
The office of President is contested for after every five years when the constitutional term of office expires. In March 2006, Uganda had the first presidential and parliamentary elections in 25 years. The NRM party won the election under the Chairmanship of Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
He was first elected president in 1996 and re-elected in 2001 and 2006. He was elected for a fourth consecutive term in office in February 2011 and sworn in on 12 May 2011.
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The current Vice President is Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi since 24th May 2011. He is a lawyer and politician. Prior to that, he served as the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda, a position he served in from 2001 until 2011. He is also the current Member of Parliament, representing Bukoto County Central, a constituency he has continuously represented since 1996.
The primary responsibility of the Vice President of Uganda is to be ready at a moment's notice to assume the Presidency if the President is unable to perform his duties. This can be because of the President's death, resignation, or temporary incapacitation, or if the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet judge that the President is no longer able to discharge the duties of the presidency.
The Vice-President is second in Uganda’s command chain. Below the Vice President is the Prime Minister who is Co-Coordinator of Government and Head of Cabinet in Parliament.
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The Cabinet of Uganda, according to the Constitution of Uganda, "shall consist of the President, the Vice President and such number of Ministers as may appear to the President to be reasonably necessary for the efficient running of the State.”
Cabinet Ministers are deputized by Ministers of State.
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