January 1986 — The National Resistance Army seizes power and installs Yoweri Museveni as president. Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) government establishes a form of democracy in which political party activity is restricted and competition for political office is based on individual merit.
May 1993 — President Museveni restores the traditional kingdoms of Uganda but gives kings no political power.
May 1995 — The new constitution legalizes political parties but preserves the ban on political activity. Political parties are allowed to exist, but they can't field candidates, solicit funds or campaign.
May 1997 — Uganda troops help depose Mobutu Sese Seko, the president of Zaire. The following year, Ugandan troops side with rebels seeking to overthrow Laurent Kabila, Mobutu's successor as leader of the newly-renamed Democratic Republic of Congo.
May 1998 — Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania announce plans to form a political, economic and social union, which comes to fruition three years later in the form of the East African Community.
June 1998 — Kampala mayor Nasser Ntege Sebaggala is arrested in New York on several counts of fraud and lying to customs officials after arriving in the country with over US$10,000 in undeclared traveler's checks. He is convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison in 1999 but is paroled by the end of the year.
December 1998 — Over 100 members of Parliament sign a petition urging President Museveni to fire Finance Minister Sam Kutesa, whom they accuse of corruption in the privatization of the state-owned airline. The accusations come from a controversial parliamentary report on the privatization process tabled earlier in the month which accused several officials of improprieties and leads to the resignations of Privatization Minister Matthew Rukikaire and President Museveni's brother, Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh, both of whom were criticized in the report for their handling of other privatization transactions.
October 1999 — Criminal Investigation Department Director Chris Bakiza resigns amid an investigation into corruption, fraud and incompetence in the police. Bakiza is alleged to have received a bribe to block a probe into a 1997 murder.
June 2000 — In a national referendum, voters overwhelmingly support the continuation of the NRM's "no-party" system of governance.
March 2001 — President Museveni wins another term in office. His main challenger, physician and army Col. Kizza Besigye, temporarily flees the country after unsuccessfully challenging the result in court.
March 2002 — It is reported that a month-long judicial investigation into the national tax authority has uncovered massive corruption and inefficiency in tax collection and vehicle licensing. The investigation was launched after taxes collected by the Uganda Revenue Authority fell dramatically in the preceding two fiscal years.
June 2002 — The World Bank suspends approximately US$370 million in loans for a proposed dam due to allegations that the American company overseeing the project paid bribes to Ugandan officials.
October 2003 — Pursuant to a new law, President Museveni and his cabinet ministers publish detailed disclosures of their assets. The law requires public officials to disclose their financial information every two years. Museveni declares assets of an annual income of US$24,000, a farm worth approximately US$30,000 and bank accounts holding no more than US$2,500.
June 2004 — Uganda and Denmark sign a four-year, US$4.9 million anti-corruption pact designed to strengthen the corruption fighting capacity of government programs, civil society groups and the media. The program also aims to increase public awareness and spur civic participation in combating corruption.
July 2004 — At a function marking the opening of an Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) office in Kampala, ACCU chairman Wafula Oguttu warns donors to channel aid through NGOs rather than the government.
July 2005 — Despite President Museveni's pledge in 2001 to leave after serving two terms, Parliament abolishes the constitutional limit on presidential terms, allowing Museveni to run in 2006. Voters in a referendum approve the return of multi-party democracy.
October 2005 — The International Criminal Court in The Hague issues arrest warrants for five Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) commanders including their leader Joseph Kony. They are accused of abducting and forcing children to fight for them against the government, slaughtering innocent civilians at camps, displacing many civilians, capturing, raping and forcing women into marriage and slavery.
August 2005 — The Switzerland-based Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria suspends aid after uncovering evidence of gross mismanagement of the US$45 million it had already disbursed to the health ministry.
February 2006 — President Museveni is declared the winner of the country's first multi-party election in 25 years. Observers praise the election as an improvement on the 2001 poll but note the incumbent government had intimidated the opposition and monopolized media coverage and other public resources in the run-up. Of particular concern is the arrest on treason and rape charges of Museveni's main rival, Kizza Besigye, prior to the election.
May 2006 — Days before his inauguration, President Museveni acknowledges there is corruption in the NRM. His extraordinary admission comes at a time when several prominent NRM officials stand accused of misappropriating international aid to be used to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Aug. 29, 2006 — The ceasefire between Ugandan government and the LRA comes into force. Against the wishes of the International Crime Court, Ugandan government offers amnesty to LRA leaders in exchange for peace talks. Thousands have died during the 20- year conflict and more than 1 million people have fled their homes.
November 2006 — The government rejects a U.N. report accusing the army of using indiscriminate and excessive force in its campaign to disarm tribal warriors in the lawless northeastern region of Karmoja.
February 2007 — The Broadcasting Council (BC), an official media regulator, switches off Nation Television Uganda's (NTV) transmitter and confiscates its receivers. BC officials allege that the station is being put off air indefinitely for 'noncompliance of the industry's technical standards'. NTV is part of The Nation Media Group, East and Central Africa's largest and most influential media company. The Monitor's Web, The Nation Media Group owned newspaper, and its affiliated radio station KFM were blocked last year because sources said they reported a presidential vote tally more favorable to the opposition candidates.
BC rejects an appeal by NTV and rules that the station remains off air indefinitely.
February 2007 — The Ugandan military says that more than 400 Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) fighters have entered the Central African Republic. It is reported that LRA rebels have linked up with the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) who are fighting the CAR government.
March 2007 — The US and Uganda sign a three-year $10.4 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold agreement focused on reducing of corruption. The press release identifies "improving public procurement, improving audit and financial management practices, building capacity to facilitate more effective follow-up of reported malpractice, and strengthening the role of civil society" as the main priorities of the partnership.
April 2007 — Peace talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA resume in the southern Sudan. One of the LRA demands is that they be removed from the list of international terrorist organizations.
May 2007 — In Juba, capital of southern Sudan, delegates from the Ugandan government and LRA sign the Agreement on Comprehensive Solutions, which will form part of a final settlement at the end of the negotiations. The agreement commits both parties to principles such as the need for broad-based government, equitable land distribution, affirmative action for marginalized groups as well as the need for making more resources available for recovery programs in conflict-affected areas of northern and northeastern Uganda. It also recognizes the right of return and resettlement for internally displaced people.
July 2007 — Uganda's government and the Lord's Resistance Army rebels sign an agreement on how to deal with war crimes in the third phase of talks to end the civil war. The third of a five phase process is supposed to set principles for dealing with war criminals. The rebel leader, Joseph Kony, and three other top commanders are wanted by the International Criminal Court, and want the indictments dropped.
August 2007 — An anti-gay protest organized by a coalition of religious groups, including Christians, Muslims, and Bahai draws a crowd of hundreds in Kampala. Protestors call for the deportation of an American journalist who covers gay issues in the country. In Uganda, homosexuality is illegal and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
September 2007 — Ugandan, Kenyan and Tanzanian anti-corruption authorities — Uganda's Inspectorate of Government, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau of Tanzania — sign a declaration to deny safe haven to corrupt persons and investment in illicit funds among the countries by agreeing to cooperate in extradition, asset recovery, return of proceeds seized from corruption offenders, and legal assistance.
October 2007 — In his Independence Day speech, President Museveni announces plans to spend $10.4 million to improve the country's capacity for fighting corruption. Uganda will attempt to boost anticorruption efforts by addressing prevention, investigation, and prosecution of corruption through the implementation of the Threshold Country Program (TCP). The government hopes that boosting anticorruption initiatives will make the country eligible for compact funding under the Milleniium Challenge Account. Uganda currently cannot access the funding until it improves its own track record of fighting corruption. President Museveni also tries to elicit the support from the business community by calling on it to report corrupt government officials who ask for bribes. He vows to "roast" such corrupt actors.
A survey released by the Steadman Group reveals that for every 100 transactions at border points, Uganda loses over $48,384 due to poor tax administration. It is also reported that clearing agents bribes to customs officials range between $100 and $150 per transaction, which expedites the clearance of goods and allows them to avoid high taxation. The survey adds that Uganda loses more tax revenues through corruption than any other country in the region.
December 2007 — The Inter-faith based Action for Ethics and Integrity, an NGO affiliated to the International Network of Faith based Organizations Fighting Corruption, launches a telephone helpline and an address which will enable the public to report corruption-related cases.
Representatives of students from 18 primary and secondary schools in Kampala present a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, urging parliament to expedite the passing of anti-corruption laws, particularly the Whistle Blowers Bill and the Prevention of Corruption Bill.
February 2008 — The New York Times reports, "Uganda's government and rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army signed a cease-fire agreement on Saturday in another major step toward a final peace settlement to their two-decade war."
April 2008 — Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, delays signing a landmark peace treaty once again, but Ugandan officials remain hopeful that the final stage in the peace process would be completed soon. Kony says he needs more time to debate how justice will be carried out for war crimes he and his group have committed. The New York Times reports, "Mr. Kony's aides have indicated that he will sign the treaty to show he is serious about peace, but the Lord's Resistance Army will not fully disband until the indictments, issued in 2005 by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, are dropped. The Ugandan government initially pressed the court to get involved but it now says that local courts — and traditional justice systems — are capable of handling Mr. Kony."
May 2008 — Jasper Tumuhimbise, the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) programme coordinator, blames the deficiency in the fight against corruption on the lack of knowledge among civil society, individuals and organizations. In efforts to extend the battle against corruption, the ACCU has trained 50 regional activists.
June 2008 — A senior World Bank official says a high level of corruption in procurement deals in Uganda is responsible for a loss of US $300 million annually since 2005 through graft and procurement-related malpractice. He adds that more than 70% of government contracts were not awarded according to established procurement procedures and that half of the national budget is spent on procurement deals where corruption is severe.
July 2008 — The Anti-Corruption Court based in Kampala starts operations. The court is under a three-year pilot phase after which it may be extended out to regional centers. The court was set up as a strategy to better use resources to effectively deal with corruption cases.
Three government officials are arrested after speaking out against proposed reforms to the 1998 Land Act. Buganda Deputy Minister of Information Medard Seggona Lubega, Buganda Central Civic Education Committee Chairperson Betty Nambooze, and Minister for Information and Cabinet Affairs Charles Peter Mayiga are held in custody for two 48-hour periods and charged with sedition. These charges are later halted by a court order.
October 2008 — Teddy Cheeye, director of economic affairs in the president's office, is arrested and charged with stealing 120 million Ugandan shillings from the global fund to fight HIV/AIDs, TB and malaria.
November 2008 — Results of the National Integrity Survey show the Ugandan public perception of corruption as wide-spread and common enough to not be a major offence.
January 2009 — The increased armed offensive tactics by the D.R. Congo, Ugandan and South Sudanese force the LRA to concede to regional demands and consider a cease-fire.
February 2009 — President Museveni appoints his wife as minister of the Karamoja region and defends his decision to critics stating that no one else wants the position.
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