Flag of Uganda People's Congress
The Uganda People's Congress is an Ugandan political party.
The UPC was formed on March 9, 1960 by Milton Obote. The UPC was against the hegemony of the state (kingdom) of Boeganda, like the Roman Catholic Democratic Party of Benedicto Kiwanuka, only the UPC was generally Protestant. At the first elections to the Legislative Assembly of March 1961, the UPC obtained 35 seats. However, the DP won 43 and became the biggest party. The Kabaka party (= king) of Boeganda, the KY ("King Only") boycotted the elections. One year later, on the eve of independence in Uganda, elections were held again which resulted in a victory of the UPC. The UPC achieved 43 seats, the KY and the DP each 24. Obote formed a coalition government with the KY and in October 1962, Uganda became a republic with Kabaka Edward Mutesa II of Boeganda as president and Milton Obote as prime minister.
In 1966, Kabaka was resigned as president and the autonomy of Boeganda and the other royal states was revoked. Obote became executive president and the UPC became the only authorized party. In 1969 Obote presented the Ordinance of the Ordinary Man in which he formulated a socialist course for Uganda. Obote nationalized the foreign (UK) companies. In 1971, Idi Amin Dada commenced a coup in which Obote was deployed. Amin forbade all political parties. The UPC went underground, and only came back in 1979, after the fall of Amin. At the elections of 10 and 11 December 1980, UPC achieved 69 of the 126 seats in parliament and became Obote for the second time President of Uganda.
In January 1985, Obote was deployed and since then, the UPC is not in power. The UPC is the largest and most important opposition party in contemporary Uganda. Political parties may consist of President Yoweri Museveni, but not participate in elections.
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