The Role of Civil Society Organ1sation in The Democratic Process in Uganda: A Case Study of World Action

ABSTRACT

The study focused on the role of civil society organisation in the democratic process in Uganda using World Action as the case study. The study objective thought to: analyze the contribution of CSOs in the democratic process in Uganda. to identify the Challenges facing CSQs in their contribution to the democratic process of Uganda as a state and to establish the possible solutions to the challenges facing CSOs in their contribution to democratic process in Uganda. The study adopted a case study design of World Action Civil Society Organization that had an intensive, descriptive and holistic analysis of a single entity, the bounded case. This approach enabled the researcher understand phenomenon in its entity, therefore qualitative and quantitative method utilized to grasp data on process and reasons for the particular outcomes which was both useful for providing adequate information on the study. A sample of 104 respondents was selected. Using, purposive sampling and simple random data was analyzed using the computer package called SPSS to generate tables and graphs. The findings of the study were that civil society organization’s role was to condemn against oppression followed by respondent who revealed that their role was to create awareness among the public on as far as their rights were concerned and respondents revealed that they represented the masses/public of various issues and lastly were respondents said they gave financial support and facilitations on programs like public addresses. Findings revealed that civil society’s organizations’ lacked support from public and collective and collaborative efforts. The study concluded that a comparative analysis through different historical perspective is also made to illuminate patterns of changes CS actors underwent in pursuing f1eir goals and objectives. The study finds that throughout history, there had been significant contribution of CS in democratization process from bottom-up, but lack of freedom and military’s unwillingness to change the system has crippled CS to remain as merely social and humanitarian caretakers with most of them totally ceasing their activities, rather than being active in pursuing their real visions. The study recommends that SCOs should re—organizing themselves to be more coordinated and collaborative forces that could have significant impact on government decision-making process. There should he a call for nationwide SC conference where representative could come up with a more coordinated platform with proper strategy to further agendas more to do with national level rather than small scale ethnic line or communal line impact.