Britain granted independence to Uganda in 1962, and the first elections were held on 1st March 1961. Benedicto Kiwanuka of the Democratic Party (DP) became the first Chief Minister. However, the marriage of convenience between the Uganda People`s Congress (UPC) and the Kabaka Yeka (KY) made inevitable the defeat of the DP interim administration.

In the aftermath of the April 1962 final election leading up to independence, Uganda’s national assembly consisted of forty-three UPC members, twenty-four KY members, and twenty-four DP members. The new UPC-KY coalition led Uganda into independence in October 1962, Uganda became a republic the following year when it gained its independence on 9th October 1962 thus acquiring its Commonwealth membership with Obote as Prime Minister of Uganda, and Sir Edward Muteesa II became the first president of Uganda. The official name of the state was Sovereign State of Uganda between 1963 and 1967