The development of political settlements in Uganda from independence to the present day

This paper analyses political developments in Uganda from independence in 1962 until 2021. It applies a version of the political settlement approach in which power relations in society are analysed along the following five dimensions: vertical relations, horizontal relations, regime financing, ideology, and relations with external actors. The purpose of this analysis is to provide a foundation for a subsequent analysis of the politicization of social cash-transfer programmes in Uganda. The systematic historical analysis of five aspects of the political settlement that has existed throughout Uganda’s whole post-independence history also adds value to previous political settlement analyses of Uganda by providing a rich understanding of the deep roots of some aspects of its political settlements, thus illuminating both continuities and changes over time. It also illustrates how political settlements change slowly and gradually, thereby highlighting the need for deep contextual knowledge in understanding the underpinnings of political development and politicization.