“Socialism with Ugandan characteristics” – Or: Does Uganda have to reinvent the wheel?

Generally Yash Tandon´s book “Common People´s Uganda” delivers a Marxist perspective on Uganda in history, present and future. Still, there is a question coming up by comrades regarding Yash Tandon´s proposal to “find an own model of development”1 and the refusal to “import the Western European model or the Soviet or Chinese model” regarding socialism, though he acknowledges that lessons from it can be learned2. He does not refuse to use the terminology of Marxism at all. Though Tandon does

Did the NRM fulfill the Ten Points Program?

One big political question is always: Did the ruling party live up to its promises? The NRM adopted the following Ten Point Program in 1984 which is their famous government program until today: Restoration of democracy; Restoration of security; Consolidation of national unity and elimination of all forms of sectarianism; Defending and consolidating national independence; Building an independent, integrated and self-sustained national economy; Restoration and improvement of social services and rehabilitation of war-ravaged areas; Elimination of corruption and misuse of

Okwogera n’ekibiina kya Communist League of Uganda (January 2025)

Dear readers, dear comrades! In the following we post the interview with the CLU in Luganda. Qn: 1. Ekibuuzo Watandikibwawo ddi era embeera eri wa? Nga 2nd October 2024, twafuna ekirowoozo ky’okutandikawo ekibiina ky’abakomunisiti eky’amaanyi mu Uganda nga twesigama ku nkola za kikula kya Marxism-Leninism. Era okutuukiriza kino mu bbanga ettono, kyategeerekese nti kijja kuba tekisoboka olw’embeera z’ebyobufuzi ezitali za bwenkanya ezibaddewo mu ggwanga, naye kiyinza okuba ekigendererwa eky’ekiseera ekiwanvu oluvannyuma lw’okukunga abantu abangi mu bujjuvu, okuwa okusomesa mu byobufuzi

How to organize our study?

It is a truism to say: Marxism needs efforts to be studied. But that mere fact does not help, only concrete ways to organize that study help. Self-study can work, but it is mostly without structure. The best would be of course establishing Marxism courses or even an ideological school, like the UPC operates one. That needs a plan of course. First of all, the content of the study. We need to set up a curriculum suiting the Ugandan national

Thoughts about the Language Question in Uganda

It is obvious that Uganda, despite its country name that is derived from Buganda, is not a national state of the Baganda. On Uganda these biblical words are not applying: “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language.”1 Instead Uganda is more like Babylon after the Confusion of Tongues2: There is no native language that could even closely claim to be a majority language. I agree with most points of Comrade Joseph´s important interview on fundamental questions.

Interview with the Communist League of Uganda (January 2025)

Qn: 1 When have you been founded and what where the circumstances? On 2nd October 2024, we conceived the idea of establishing a strong communist party in Uganda based on the classics of Marxism-Leninism. And to achieve this in short term, was realised that it will be impossible due to the unfair prevailing political circumstances in the country, but can be a long term goal after full mobilization of the masses, giving political education and sensitization so as to raise

Serving the people or serving the own pocket?

It is no secret that corruption is a big issue, not just in Africa but all over the world. This manifests in the mindset of only seeking to fill the own pocket instead of serving the people with the whole heart. Every Christian knows these famous words by Jesus: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is

Why Self-Criticism is vital

“We have the Marxist-Leninist weapon of criticism and self-criticism. We can get rid of a bad style and keep the good.”1 – Mao Zedong Already Paul wrote: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”2 This idea, as we can see, goes very much along with what Mao said. It is a good principle to critically review practice and theoretical reflections, especially when it comes to oneself. There are comrades who have a hard time exercising self-criticism, they have the

For an Organized Working Class! – Remarks on the prospects of trade unions in Uganda

Trade unions are no new form of organization in Uganda. The National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) is the largest trade union organization within Uganda and exists already for more than 50 years. But they are insufficient. They might have over 900.000 working people organized among their ranks, but only very few industrial workers. It is good that over 100.000 transport workers are organized in their ranks, over 160.000 teachers about 130.000 agricultural workers and more than 50.000 workers in

Can the Workers and Peasants rule themselves?

There is that common cliché as if the working people would be incapable to rule and administrate themselves without the ruling exploiting class and pro-capitalist “experts”. It is true that the capitalists, feudalists and their “expert” servants know how to run a state according to their interests. But does that really mean that the workers and peasants would not be able to get organized to rule themselves? Lenin replied to such claims over a century ago: “We are not utopians.

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