Theorising Governance Legislation in Uganda: A Framework for the Third National Development Plan Era

This article presents a new theoretical framework to analyse the synthesis and collective impact of key governance laws enacted in Uganda during the period of its Third National Development Plan (NDPIII). It argues that the prevailing, fragmented analysis of disparate statutes—such as the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, the Anti-Homosexuality Act, and the Public Order Management Act—fails to capture their systemic function. Employing a rigorous doctrinal and conceptual methodology, the article constructs an integrative analytical model. It demonstrates that these laws collectively constitute a distinct ‘governance legislation’ paradigm, characterised by a centralisation of executive authority, a constriction of civic space, and the instrumental use of law for political consolidation. Through a systematic application of this framework, the analysis reveals a fundamental governance paradox: these statutes often operate in tension with the participatory, accountable, and transformative governance espoused in Uganda’s own NDPIII. The framework’s significance lies in providing scholars and policymakers with a structured tool to critically evaluate the alignment—or misalignment—of legal frameworks with substantive development ambitions, moving beyond purely economic metrics. This contributes a vital, context-specific Ugandan perspective to broader continental debates on the rule of law, administrative justice, and the legal architecture of the African development state.