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acre rity cy .7)THE CONSTITUTION
OF UGANDA 1962
Uganda Constitutional Commission
P.O, Box 7206 KAMPALAPREFACE
The 1962 Constitution of Uganda has been reprinted by the Uganda
Constitutional Commission in response to public demand to have an
opportunity to examine, study and evaluate it with a view to giving in-
formed suggestions on the current process of formulating a new National
Constitution for Uganda.
This Independence Constitution was never widely circulated and as a
result very few institutions and individuals have copies of it.
The version which is now published contains the first Constitutional
Amendment of 1963 which created the Office of Constitutional
Presidency. Although many Ugandans mistakedly refer to this Constitu-
tion as a federal one, in studying it people will find it included federal,
semi-federal and unitary principles and sections.
The Constitution carries five important schedules which are the constitu-
tions for the kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole, Tooro and the
territory of Busoga. These constitutional arrangements should be studied
with full reference to the main text of the Constitution.
Unlike the Constitution of 1967, the Independence Constitution was
preceded by two serious consultations: the Wild Committee of 1959 and
the Munster Commission of 1961. The Constitution was finalized during
two Constitutional Conferences in London: the first one at Lancaster
House between 18th Sept and 9th October 1961 and the second at Marl-
borough House in June 1962. It was then debated and approved by the
British Parliament. This was the Constitution which was suspended and
then abolished by the then Prime Minister in 1966.
This Constitution demands a very careful study in order to evaluate it
objectively and generate views that can genuinely enrich the current
Constitutional Debate.
Printed at Marianum Press, P.O. Box 11 KISUBI - UGANDA