While campaigning in 1980, the party claimed that its supporters were harassed by the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) and DP.

[10] In the next decades, the CP remained a marginal group, while Ugandan came under the control of a succession of authoritarian governments.

[14] Nkangi initially reconciled with the rest of the CP under secretary general Ken Lukyamuzi in July 2003,[13] but was ousted from his position as president-general of the party in November of that year.

Nsambu and Lukyamuzi claimed that Nkangi had become too close to the ruling government of Yoweri Museveni, and no longer followed the CP's ideology.

[15] Internal disputes continued until 2005, when Nkangi officially agreed to pass the leadership of the CP to Lukyamuzi.

[18] The CP ran with two parliamentary candidates during the 2021 Ugandan general election,[19] but failed to win any seats.

[22] The party has consequently begun to focus more on social justice,[21] and presents itself as an advocate for the rural poor, against special privileges, and against corruption.