Christianity and politics : monitoring of national elections in Uganda with special reference to the Uganda Joint Christian Council, 1994-2016

Abstract

This study historicised and examined the role and mandate of Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) in the monitoring of national elections in Uganda between 1994 and 2016. The study further examined UJCC with regard to how it pursued one of its objectives of enhancing democracy in Uganda, via the monitoring of national elections. The study presents the colonial background of Christianity and Politics in Uganda, the circumstances for the birth of UJCC, the history of elections and their monitoring, and the history of UJCC’s entry into politics and its operation. This study was prompted by the persistence of the undemocratic features that dominate the electoral process in Uganda, despite UJCC’s role of actively observing, monitoring and overseeing democracy in the national elections. The central questions that guided the study were; what were the circumstances for the birth of UJCC? To what extent has UJCC followed its mandate and role of monitoring national elections? What are the challenges encountered by UJCC in the course of executing its mandate of election monitoring from 1994-2016? In what ways can the work of election monitoring agencies in Uganda especially UJCC, be improved? The study was informed by the works of Shodhganga, Daniel D, Jonathan and Seigel, among others, who advanced the advantages endowed by the Rational Theory and Behavioural Theory. These theories provided the basis for the research methodology and a historical analysis that fits this study. In order to understand the historical knowledge of UJCC and its contribution to the monitoring of national elections in Uganda, the research methodology employed included a historical research design with a qualitative approach with three data collection methods; documentary, archival and oral research. The study breaks a new ground by documenting the historical role and mandate of UJCC, as an ecumenical body, in the monitoring of national elections in Uganda. The study revealed that stakeholders in the national elections like the EC and the government of Uganda, have executed about 39% of the issues in the election recommendations presented by UJCC. However, the study revealed that negative characteristics of the election irregularities (indicators of lack of democracy) like violence, EC partiality, vote buying and rigging, arbitrary arrests, court contested election results and bloodshed, have persistently marred the election atmosphere in Uganda. It has been discovered that the issues such as government patronage, self-censorship and survival strategy, have incapacitated the mandate of UJCC in election monitoring. Similarly, it has been observed that addressing the above electoral irregularities by the government /EC is so pertinent, if democratic elections are to be realised in Uganda.