Former constitutional commissioners defend rejection of federalism

Demands have often emerged for a return to the federal and unitary system of governance under which Uganda gained independence. Despite a report by the Constitutional Commission indicating that 95% of voters in Buganda and 65% nationwide supported federalism, a unitary system was ultimately adopted. Former members of the Constitutional Commission told Jackson Onyango that the independence-era system was a “bomb worth avoiding at any cost,” citing the 1966 crisis as a key reason. They explain their position in this story.