Uganda

Uganda became independent of Britain on 9 October 1962. Dictatorial government such as that of Idi Amin was followed by movement-led government until multi-party democracy was returned to Uganda in February 2006 after a referendum in 2005.

Yoweri Museveni has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. The 2001 and 2006 election campaigns culminated in petitions filed by the opposition to the Supreme Court of Uganda. Although the court found irregularities the results were upheld. In February 2011 Museveni again prevailed in the presidential elections. Two term presidential limits in Uganda were removed in 2005 with the advent of multi-party democracy.

Uganda has a mixed legal system of English common law and customary law.

Uganda has a constitution dating from 1995, with 2005 amendments removing presidential term limits and legalising multi-party democracy.

The Constitution has provisions providing that where a person is arrested in respect of a criminal offence, the person is entitled to apply to the court to be released on bail, and the court may grant that person bail on such conditions as the court considers reasonable; and that no person shall be subjected to any form of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The laws of Uganda are available here.