REFLECTIONS ON CIVIL SOCIETY – GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN UGANDA

1. REFLECTIONS ON CIVIL SOCIETY – GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN UGANDA Under Construction - Work in Progress Remarks by Arthur LAROK at Panel Convened at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Sep 20th Pennsylvania, USA Embracing Rights! Improving Lives!

2. Preliminary Remarks Setting the Scene and Conceptual Clarity • Glad to join you albeit from a distance, thousands of miles away • Thought of best way to capture the essence of the subject , zeroed on - under construction • Despite challenges in construction, it is work in progress because we relish end product • CSOs - Beyond NGOs: FBOs, Professional Assoc, Movements, CBOs, Academia, etc

3. Where we are coming from Historical and Enduring Tensions • Tensions because nature of state formation and evolution of civil society • Pre-independence movements to proxies in the Cold War and especially birth of NGO ism • Recruitment ground for Political Parties, Liberation Movements - Students, Unions, Co-ops • Almost complete take over of services during periods of dictatorship and state failure/collapse • Now -still difficult but more complimentary as boundaries get fuzzier

4. Key Defining Features Policy, Institutional, Normative Frameworks • The Country Constitution informed by history and aspirations for belonging in a democratic league • Unstable Constitutional Order and several rather regressive legislations - NGO Act, Terrorism, Public Order, Interception of Communication • Largely informed my a narrow state-centric notion about CSOs and what they ought to be doing

5. Key Defining Features Contd... • On their part, civil society inspired by international ‘consensus’ on rights and freedom for democratic league of nations • And also by their reading and interpretation of the situation on the ground and their location • At the end of the day, the tension between state and civil society is healthy for the country even it bruises the parties involved

6. Repression Cooperation State Behaviour State - Civil Society Relations A Pendulum Theory of State Behaviour

7. Theory of State - CSO Relations What determines Pendulum Swings • Relative comfort (esp. political) of government with what CSOs are doing and wider political effect • Larger political pressures on government by both internal and external actors and processes • The level of courage and conviction by civil society, especially their leaders • International relations and image consciousness by government (rights respecting league of nations)

8. Where we are at present Mixed Picture - Back and Forth!! • Carrot and stick with tendencies of repression and cooperation co-existing • Cooperation: supplementing service delivery, mobilizing community resources or for them • Essentially doing what government is ordinarily supposed to do...and makes them claim credit • It therefore depends on what you do, say and how you behave

9. Where we are at present Mixed Picture -Contd’ • Move towards Repression when...CSOs are ‘politically incorrect’ and state uses the tactics of: • De-legitimization (as supporters of homosexuality, agents of foreign interests, taking away jobs with expatriates, etc) • Isolate leadership from organisation and thus threaten, foment internal fear and discord • Non compliance with laws and regulations (the trap that the NGO Law and other regulatory requirements are) • Direct interference in activities and diversion from our work to fighting other battles • So, again depending on the organisation, effects vary considerably

10. The CSOSI Process in Uganda Benefits so far... • A diverse and mixed panel that brings together rich knowledge, wider ownership and cooperation, even with government • Mix of scientific statistical methods and informed opinions leading to an acceptable consensus • Cross country product and thus puts Uganda in a regional and global context -eases debate • The only consistent piece of work that focuses on the evolution and trends in civil society - others come and go

11. The CSOSI Process in Uganda How we have used it so far...

12. The CSOSI Process in Uganda How we have used it so far... Contd’ • Evidenced based tool for engagement in the NGO Policy formulation and legal reform processes and in the resurgent spirit of dialogue between CSOs and Government at national and district level • Acting as an impetus to identify areas for continued focus as we seek to improve • Contributes to regional efforts such as CSO partnership principles and agenda for East Africa CSO Forum

13. Government - CSO Relations Looking Ahead... • Better domestication of CSOSI process and have regional based panels as there are emerging serious regional disparities due to leadership behaviour • Improve Local dissemination and this requires a discussion on possible rebranding for political and ownership reasons • Take advantage of the resurgent spirit of cooperation and dialogue and use CSOSI outputs as basis for engagement

14. Closing Words Citations and further information • Most of the points based on intimate connection to the process in Uganda and reflections • The Pendulum Theory developed from a presentation to NGO Leaders by Dr. Frederick GoloobaMutebi • For more information, please contact our NGO Platform - the Uganda National NGO Forum on www.ngoforum.or.ug

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