The presidential rally in Uganda: ritual, drama and multiple axes of communication

ABSTRACT

This article analyses the rally practices of President Yoweri Museveni and opposition presidential candidates Kizza Besigye and Robert Kyagulanyi (better known as ‘Bobi Wine’) in Uganda. Drawing on literatures on political ritual, social drama and rallies, the article illustrates the multiple forms and axes of communication that take place between various actors – both present and absent – who are involved in these rallies. Based on ethnographic research in Uganda over multiple election cycles, the article argues that the meaning and function of various performative, material and rhetorical components of these rallies cannot be understood in isolation from broader political contexts, specifically: local NRM politics for Museveni, and systemic state repression for Besigye and Bobi Wine. By placing rallies within these contexts, the article makes sense of the political rituals undertaken by participants.

KEYWORDS:

• Uganda
• Museveni
• rallies
• presidentialism
• elections

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Vokes has completed 40 months’ ethnographic fieldwork in Uganda, over 13 periods since 2000. Wilkins has completed 8 months’ ethnographic fieldwork over three periods since 2011.

2 In Uganda, the district is the highest sub-national polity, below which are (in descending order of size) sub-county, parish and village.

3 ‘Traditional kingdoms’ in Uganda are the official continuations of pre-colonial states, which were brought back in ceremonial form in the 1995 constitution.

4 Within the regime, there is likely an important axis of communication between various security services (who are known to be highly factionalised) and the president, with the former using the rally to show their usefulness and loyalty to the latter (audience).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Australia Africa Universities Network; Australian Research Council; British Institute in Eastern Africa; British Library; Economic and Social Research Council; Royal Society Te Apārangi; University of Oxford.