Rethinking Power-Sharing: Otunnu's Vision for Uganda

What the report says

Academic and historian Prof. Ogenga Otunnu has argued that Uganda needs a wider approach to political cooperation that reaches beyond deals among top political figures. In a discussion on NBS Television’s Morning Breeze, as reported by Nile Post, he said any effort to build consensus should center on inclusion, reconciliation, accountability and sustained dialogue, especially for communities that feel excluded from the political process.

Otunnu framed his argument around consociational democracy, a power-sharing model that he said should not be limited to allocating positions among elites. He suggested that Uganda’s long-running political tensions reflect unresolved grievances and a continuing demand for peace and participation. He also pointed to historical examples, including the 1962 UPC-KY alliance and the 1979 Moshi Conference, to show both the benefits and limits of past political accommodations.

According to the report, Otunnu stressed that his proposal would complement existing institutions rather than replace them. He rejected comparisons with Kenya’s post-election power-sharing settlement and said dialogue, mediation and inclusion could help strengthen Uganda’s constitutional commitments to unity, equality and human dignity. The discussion also highlighted a major unresolved issue: whether meaningful power-sharing can be built before concerns about constitutionalism, political freedoms and unequal access to state power are addressed.