VOTER EDUCATION: The role of the president

📌 Duties of the President include

✅ Head of state, Head of government, Commander in chief of Uganda Peoples
Defence Forces and Fountain of Honour;
✅ Take precedence over all persons in Uganda;
✅ Head of the Executive arm of Government. Executive authority is vested in the
President;
✅ Execute and maintain the Constitution and all other laws;
✅ Abide by, uphold and safeguard the Constitution and the laws of Uganda;
✅ Deliver to Parliament an address on the state of the nation at the beginning of
each session of Parliament

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  While the debate rages on who is best suited to be president of Uganda, the official duties of country’s leader, according to the constitution, remain what they have been since independence in 1962, and are clearly outlined.

The country’s leader main duty is to act as Head of state, Head of government, Commander in chief of Uganda Peoples and Defence Forces and Fountain of Honour.

Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the functions conferred upon the
President may be exercised by the President directly or indirectly through officers
subordinate to the President.

These are all contained in a Voter Education Handbook released last year, and relatedly, the Presidential Elections act. Also released by the Electoral Commission are the Presidential campaign regulations. (see bottom)

The handbook  was designed to assist voters, Election Officials and other stakeholders to understand the electoral process, enhance voters’ awareness and increase participation in the electoral process in order to promote good governance. The intended outcome of this effort is to ensure that voters are ready, willing and able to participate in the electoral process.

At Independent, the head of government was the Prime Minister, and the country had a President with some of the other state duties.  (see list of president and prime ministers bottom- SOURCE WIKIPEDIA)

In 1966, Prime Minister Milton Obote suspended the Constitution, abolished the post of Prime Minister, and declared himself President – merging all the leadership roles. In 1980, the post of Prime Minister was re-established.

 VOTER EDUCATION HANDBOOK (click HERE to read online)

Uganda Voter Education Hand… by The Independent Magazine

 The PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ACT, 2005 (click HERE to read online)

Uganda’s Presidential E… by The Independent Magazine

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime minister(s)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Edward Mutesa (1924–1969)	1963	9 October 1963	2 March 1966 (deposed.)	2 years, 144 days	Kabaka Yekka	Obote
2		Milton Obote (1925–2005)	—	2 March 1966	15 April 1966	44 days	Uganda People’s Congress	Himself
				15 April 1966	25 January 1971 (deposed.)	4 years, 285 days		Position abolished

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military	Prime minister(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
3		Idi Amin (1925–2003)	25 January 1971	11 April 1979 (deposed.)	8 years, 76 days	Ugandan Armed Forces	Position abolished

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime minister(s)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
4		Yusuf Lule (1912–1985)	—	13 April 1979	20 June 1979 (deposed.)	68 days	Independent (UNLF)	Position abolished
5		Godfrey Binaisa (1920–2010)	—	20 June 1979	12 May 1980 (deposed.)	327 days	Uganda People’s Congress (UNLF)
6		Paulo Muwanga (1921–1991)	—	12 May 1980	22 May 1980 (resigned.)	10 days	Uganda People’s Congress (UNLF)
—		Presidential Commission	—	22 May 1980	15 December 1980	207 days	—
(2)		Milton Obote (1925–2005)	1980	17 December 1980	27 July 1985 (deposed.)	4 years, 222 days	Uganda People’s Congress	Allimadi

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military	Prime minister(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
7		General Bazilio Olara-Okello (1929–1990)	27 July 1985	29 July 1985 (resigned.)	2 days	Ugandan Armed Forces	Position vacant
8		General Tito Okello (1914–1996)	29 July 1985	26 January 1986 (deposed.)	181 days	Ugandan Armed Forces	Muwanga Waligo

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime minister(s)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
9		Yoweri Museveni (1944–)	1996 2001 2006 2011 2016	26 January 1986	Incumbent	34 years, 341 days	National Resistance Movement	Kisekka Adyebo Musoke Nsibambi Mbabazi Rugunda

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	Head(s) of state
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Milton Obote (1925–2005)	9 October 1962	15 April 1966	3 years, 188 days	Uganda People’s Congress	Elizabeth II Mutesa Himself
Post abolished (15 April 1966 – 18 December 1980)
2		Otema Allimadi (1929–2001)	18 December 1980	27 July 1985 (deposed.)	4 years, 221 days	Uganda People’s Congress	Obote
3		Paulo Muwanga (1921–1991)	1 August 1985	25 August 1985	24 days	Independent	Okello
4		Abraham Waligo (1928–2000)	25 August 1985	26 January 1986 (deposed.)	154 days	Independent	Okello
5		Samson Kisekka (1912–1999)	30 January 1986	22 January 1991	4 years, 357 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni
6		George Cosmas Adyebo (1947–2000)	22 January 1991	18 November 1994	3 years, 300 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni
7		Kintu Musoke (1938–)	18 November 1994	5 April 1999	4 years, 138 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni
8		Apolo Nsibambi (1940–2019)	5 April 1999	24 May 2011	12 years, 49 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni
9		Amama Mbabazi (1949–)	24 May 2011	18 September 2014	3 years, 117 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni
10		Ruhakana Rugunda (1947–)	18 September 2014	Incumbent	6 years, 109 days	National Resistance Movement	Museveni