Identified as a cornerstone for countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Democratic Governance is one of the three broad programme areas within the current Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP 2006-2010) for UNDP support to Uganda.

Since the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) ascendance to power 20 years ago, the democratization process has made significant headway. Presidential and parliamentary elections, held in 2006, marked Uganda’s entry into multiparty political dispensation - a landmark in the history of this East African nation. This followed an extensive participatory constitution making between 1993 and 1995 which eventually gave birth to the new Constitution of 1995. The country has also sustained sound macroeconomic environment and economic growth. Uganda, however, remains a country in transition as far as critical governance issues are concerned.

Capacity building for human development is the fundamental approach of UNDP Uganda’s democratic governance programme. By supporting some of the key anticorruption institutions in the country and national democratic instruments and institutions and by building capacity on human rights and the administration of justice, the programme plays a significant role in Uganda’s democratic transition. UNDP also works to develop effective local governance structures to build and ensure the sustainability of a strong participatory and consultative culture in the country.

Overall, UNDP's core efforts in the practice of good governance focus on achieving the following outcomes:

• deepening democratic processes and strengthen institutions to address national development challenges
• enhancing national capacity for protection and administration of justice
• improving transparency and accountability in government institutions

Additionally, HIV/AIDS - from a governance policy angle - plays an important part in the programme. UNDP works with government institutions, UNAIDS and other partners to mainstream HIV/AIDS in national policy frameworks and to ensure that the available resources to fight HIV/AIDS make a significant impact on the communities and the victims of the epidemic.

MYFF Strategic Goal
Goal 2: Fostering Democratic Governance

Service lines
2.1 Policy support for Democratic Governance
2.2 Parliamentary Development
2.4 Justice and Human Rights
2.6 Decentralization, local governance and urban/rural development
2.7 Public administration reform and anticorruption

MYFF Strategic Goal
Goal 5: Responding to HIV/AIDS

Service lines
5.1 Leadership and capacity development to address HIV/AIDS
5.2 Development planning, implementation and HIV/AIDS responses

Sam I Ibanda
Assistant Resident Representative/
Head of Governance Unit
sam.ibanda@undp.org

Srikiran Devara srikiran.devara@undp.org
Enid Nambuya
Programme Analyst
enid.nambuya@undp.org

Bharam Namanya
HIV/AIDS Programme Analyst
bharam.namanya@undp.org

John Mpande
Programme Assistant
john.mpande@undp.org

Harriet Karusigarira
Programme Assistant
harriet.karusigara@undp.org