Uganda
Parliament
-
Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
View field in the data dictionary -
Presidential system
-
Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
View field in the data dictionary -
Unicameral
-
IPU membership
Current membership status
View field in the data dictionary -
Yes
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
-
Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
View field in the data dictionary -
14 Jan 2021 to 18 Jan 2021
-
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
View field in the data dictionary -
11 May 2021
-
Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
View field in the data dictionary -
Upon normal expiry
-
Expected date of next elections
The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
View field in the data dictionary -
31 Jan 2026
-
Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
View field in the data dictionary -
499
-
Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
View field in the data dictionary -
Full renewal
Candidates
-
Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
View field in the data dictionary -
14
Voter turnout
-
Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
18,103,603
-
Voters
Number of people who actually voted
View field in the data dictionary -
10,744,319
-
Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
59.3%
Results
-
About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
President Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) retained a two-thirds majority, taking 336 of the 499 seats at stake in the 529-member Parliament (see note 1). However, many outgoing NRM members of parliament, including several incumbent ministers and Vice President Edward Ssekandi, lost their seats. The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Mr. Bobi Wine (the outgoing MP officially known as Robert Kyagulanyi), became the second largest party with 57 seats. It won 25 more seats than the main opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC, which endorsed Mr. Patrick Oboi Amuriat as its presidential candidate in 2021). In the presidential elections held in parallel with the parliamentary polls, the incumbent President – Africa’s longest-serving leader who has been in power since 1986 – was re-elected for a sixth term (see note 2). Among others, he defeated Mr. Wine, who subsequently called for peaceful protests to oppose the results (see note 3).
On 24 May, the newly elected Parliament elected Mr. Jacob Oulanyah (NRM) as the new Speaker, replacing Ms. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who had served in the post since 2011. On 8 June, President Museveni appointed Ms. Jessica Alupo – the former Education minister and retired army Major – as Vice President, and the outgoing junior State Minister for Health, Ms. Robinah Nabbanja, as the new Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament. Ms. Nabbanja thereby became the first woman in Uganda to assume the premiership. Both the new Vice President and Prime Minister are MPs elected from Women Districts.
The 2021 elections were held amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On 4 November 2020, the Election Commission officially announced the election date, urging candidates to promote safe participation in the electoral process by following the COVID-19 prevention measures. On 18 November, Mr. Wine was arrested for violating COVID-19 restrictions. His arrest triggered violent protests in the capital Kampala, killing 50 people. The opposition parties accused the government and security forces of using the COVID-19 restrictions as a cover to wage a brutal crackdown.
Note 1:
The statutory number of members of Parliament has increased from 447 to 529 as described below. In addition to the 529 members, the President of the Republic may appoint any person outside Parliament to the Cabinet. The person(s) appointed as ministers become ex officio members of Parliament without voting rights. The number of ex officio members, and thus the statutory number of members, may vary during the course of the legislature.
- 353 members from single-member constituencies (up from 300)
- 146 members elected from Women Districts (up from 122)
- 30 members indirectly elected (up from 25)*
* Previously, 25 indirectly elected seats were reserved for 10 representatives of the Uganda People's Defence Forces, with 5 representatives each for youth, disabled persons and workers. In addition, 5 more seats are now reserved for older people. The bill to add these five seats was adopted by Parliament in August 2020.
Note 2:
In December 2017, Parliament adopted the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2017. It extended the terms of office for the President, Parliament and local government from five to seven years and removed the presidential age limit of 75 years. In July 2018, the Constitutional Court approved the removal of the presidential age limit, thereby paving the way for the incumbent President, born in 1944, to run for the presidency in 2021. However, the Court nullified the extensions to the terms of office. The general elections, which were expected to be held in 2023, were thus held in 2021.
Note 3:
Mr. Wine is no longer a parliamentarian in the new legislature since the law does not allow a person to run for the presidency and a parliamentary seat at the same time.
-
Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
View field in the data dictionary -
7
-
Percentage of parties winning seats
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
50.0%
-
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
67.3%
-
Alternation of power after elections
The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
View field in the data dictionary -
No
-
Number of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
View field in the data dictionary -
1
-
Names of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
View field in the data dictionary -
National Resistance Movement (NRM)
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group | Total |
---|---|
National Resistance Movement (NRM) | 336 |
National Unity Platform (NUP) | 57 |
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) | 32 |
Democratic Party (DP) | 9 |
Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) | 9 |
Justice Forum (JEMA) | 1 |
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) | 1 |
Independents | 74 |
Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) | 10 |
Members elected, by sex
- Number of men elected
-
338
- Number of women elected
-
161
Notes:
The number of women elected (161) under “Members elected, by sex” comprises:
- Constituency Representatives: 15
- District Women Representatives: 146*
*Of the 146 District Women Representatives, 135 are elected from the districts, 1 from the capital city and 10 others from the new cities (City Women Representatives).
In addition, 13 women were indirectly elected, as follows.
- Youth Representatives: 2
- Representatives of disabled persons: 3
- Workers' Representatives: 2
- Representatives of older people: 3
- Representatives of the Uganda People's Defence Forces: 3
As at 6 April 2021, there were a total of 174 women among 529 members.
The President subsequently appointed 27 ex officio members, including 15 women.
Meanwhile, the number of women among the Constituency Representatives decreased from 15 to 14.
As at 23 July 2021, there were a total of 188 women out of 556 members. These statistics are reflected under the “New legislature” section.
-
Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
View field in the data dictionary -
32.3%
- Women Directly Elected
-
161
- Women Appointed
-
15
- Women Indirectly Elected
-
13
- Other notes on the elections
-
Note on the turnout figures:
The turnout figures above are for the presidential elections, which were held in parallel with the parliamentary polls.
Note on the timing of election
In accordance with the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2017, the term of Parliament was extended from five to seven years. Parliamentary elections were therefore expected in 2023 instead of 2021.
However, in July 2018, the Constitutional Court nullified the extension to the parliamentary term. Therefore, the next elections were held in January 2021.
Note on the parties or coalitions winning seats:
The statistics above do not include ex officio members (27 as at July 2021).
The President of the Republic may appoint any person outside Parliament to the Cabinet. The person(s) appointed (ministers who do not have voting rights) become ex officio members of Parliament. The number of ex officio members, and thus the statutory number of members, may vary during the course of the legislature.
- Sources
-
Parliament (06.04.2021, 19.09.2021)
https://www.ec.or.ug/sites/default/files/docs/Voter%20Count%20by%20District%202021.pdf
https://www.ec.or.ug/2021-general-elections
https://opm.go.ug/the-prime-minister/
BBC Monitoring
New legislature
-
Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
368
-
Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
188
-
Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
View field in the data dictionary -
33.8%
-
First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
No information available
-
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
No information available
-
Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
View field in the data dictionary -
21 May 2021
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
-
Jacob L. Oulanyah (Male)
Date of birth: 1965 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
View field in the data dictionary -
National Resistance Movement (NRM)
-
Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
View field in the data dictionary -
24 May 2021