Uganda Poll on Party Politic

Uganda's parliament has taken the first step to re-establish multi-party politics by voting to hold a referendum on the issue in July.

President Yoweri Museveni's government sponsored the motion, which was passed overwhelmingly.

Uganda currently has what it calls a "no-party system", in which the activities of political parties are severely restricted. Candidates for office must run as individuals, not as representatives of a party.

Mr Museveni's National Resistance Movement says it is not a party because all Ugandans are members.

Mr Museveni has maintained that political parties exacerbated Uganda's ethnic and religious divisions after its independence from Britain in 1962.

Mr Museveni came to power in 1986 and under his rule Uganda has returned to stability.

But recently the government has been criticised for high-level corruption and a tendency to run the country as if it is a one-party state.