University of Pennsylvania Precolonial Uganda University of Pennsylvania Precolonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“In the second half of the 15th century, the “Prior to 1650, Buganda had been a small
Nilotic-speaking Luo left their homeland on the kingdom ruled by a kabaka. Of similar size to
plains of southern Sudan, and migrated Buganda, the kingdom of Mpororo founded circa
southwards along the Nile into what is now 1650, covered much of the Kigezi region of
Uganda. There they splintered into three groups. Uganda and what is now northern Rwanda. In the
The first of these remained at Pubungu (probably period between 1650-1850, the kingdom of the
near modern-day Pakwach); the second occupied Bunyoro shrank to a fraction of its former size,
the region of Uganda that lies west of the Nile; giving regional dominance to Buganda. The most
and the third continued southwards into the fertile of the Ugandan kingdoms, Buganda
heart of Bunyoro-Kitara. The arrival of the Luo stretched by the mid-19th century from the Nile
coincided with the emergence of several other almost as far as Mubende and over the entire
kingdoms in the south and east of Bunyoro. Lake Victoria region as far south as the Kagera
These include Buganda and Ankole in modern- River."
day Uganda (and Rwanda and Burundi) and the
Karagwe kingdom in what is now northwest
Tanzania.” East Africa Living Encyclopedia

East Africa Living Encyclopedia

Ingham, Lyons Precolonial Uganda Ingham, Lyons Precolonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“Henry Morton Stanley, the British American “It was during the period of Buganda’s rise that
explorer who reached Buganda in 1875, met the first Swahili-speaking traders from the east
Mutesa I. Although Buganda had not been coast of Africa reached the country in the 1840s.
attacked, Achoiland, to the north, had been Their object was to trade in ivory and enslaved
ravaged by slavers from Egypt and the Sudan people. Kabaka Mutesa I, who took office about
since the early 1860s, and, on the death of 1856, admitted the first European explorer, the
Kamrasi, the ruler of Bunyoro, his successor, Briton John Hanning Speke, who crossed into the
Kabarega, had defeated his rivals only with the kabaka’s territory in 1862.”
aid of the slavers’ guns. Moreover, an emissary
from the Egyptian government, Linant de
Bellefonds, had reached Mutesa’s palace before History of Uganda
Stanley, so the kabaka was anxious to obtain
allies."

History of Uganda

Ingham, Lyons Precolonial Uganda Ingham, Lyons Precolonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“ In 1879 representatives of the Roman Catholic “It was during the period of Buganda’s rise that
White Fathers Mission also reached Buganda. the first Swahili-speaking traders from the east
Although Mutesa I attempted to limit their coast of Africa reached the country in the 1840s.
movements, their influence rapidly spread Their object was to trade in ivory and enslaved
through their contact with the chiefs whom the people. Kabaka Mutesa I, who took office about
kabaka kept around him, and inevitably the 1856, admitted the first European explorer, the
missionaries became drawn into the politics of Briton John Hanning Speke, who crossed into the
the country.” kabaka’s territory in 1862.”

History of Uganda History of Uganda

Ingham, Lyons Precolonial Uganda Ingham, Lyons Colonial Uganda

Quotation:

“Mutesa I was not concerned about these new Quotation:

influences, however, and, when Egyptian
expansion was checked by the Mahdist rising in “Mwanga, who was restored to his throne with
the Sudan, he was able to deal brusquely with the assistance of the Christian (both Roman
the handful of missionaries in his country.” Catholic and Protestant) Ganda, soon faced
European imperialism. Carl Peters, the German
adventurer, made a treaty of protection with
Mwanga in 1889, but this was revoked when the
Anglo-German agreement of 1890 declared all
History of Uganda the country north of latitude 1° S to be in the
British sphere of influence.”

History of Uganda

Ingham, Lyons Colonial Uganda Ingham, Lyons Colonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“The Imperial British East Africa Company agreed “However, when the company did not have the
to administer the region on behalf of the British funds to continue its administrative position, the
government, and in 1890 Captain F.D. Lugard, the British government, for strategic reasons and
company’s agent, signed another treaty with partly through pressure from missionary
Mwanga, whose kingdom of Buganda was now sympathizers in Britain, declared Buganda its
placed under the company’s protection.” protectorate in 1894.”

History of Uganda History of Uganda

University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda

Paraphrase:

Quotation: The article details the treaty-making between the

British and the Buganda. The chiefs were afraid
“The British commissioner of Uganda in 1900, Sir that the British would strip the royal line of the
Harry H. Johnston, had orders to establish an kabakas, and the land they used to support
efficient administration and to levy taxes as themselves and their constituents. The British
quickly as possible. Johnston approached the gave them half the land in Buganda and assigned
chiefs in Buganda with offers of employment in the chiefs as tax collectors. The treaty signed with
the colonial administration in exchange for their the Baganda was significantly more lucrative than
collaboration.” the terms offered to surrounding kingdoms.
East Africa Living Encyclopedia

East Africa Living Encyclopedia

University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“The Baganda immediately offered their services “Wherever they went, the Baganda insisted on
to the British as administrators over their the dominance of their language, Luganda. They
recently conquered neighbors, an offer which planted bananas which they considered the only
was attractive to an economically minded food worth eating. They regarded their own
colonial administration. Baganda agents served traditional dress--long cotton gowns called
as local tax collectors and labor organizers in kanzus--as the sole civilized apparel; all other
areas such as Kigezi, Mbale, and Bunyoro.” clothing was considered barbaric.”

History of Uganda History of Uganda

University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“The Baganda immediately offered their services “The people of Bunyoro, who had fought both
to the British as administrators over their the Baganda and the British, were particularly
recently conquered neighbors, an offer which aggrieved by this new domination. A substantial
was attractive to an economically minded section of their land had been annexed to
colonial administration. Baganda agents served Buganda as "lost counties." They resented having
as local tax collectors and labor organizers in to obey orders by "arrogant" Baganda
areas such as Kigezi, Mbale, and Bunyoro.” administrators, having to pay taxes, and
furnishing unpaid labor. In 1907 the Banyoro rose
History of Uganda in a rebellion called nyangire, or "refusing," which
led to the withdrawal of Baganda subimperial
agents.”

History of Uganda

University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda University Pennsylvania Colonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“Unlike Tanganyika, which was economically “Two issues continued to cause grievance
devastated during the prolonged campaign through the 1930s and 1940s. The colonial
between Britain and Germany in the East Africa government strictly regulated trade in cash crops,
during World War I, Uganda prospered from sales setting prices, and giving Asians, considered more
of agricultural products to feed the European efficient by the British, the role of intermediaries.
troops. ” The British and Asians combined to repel African
attempts to break into cotton ginning. Asian-
History of Uganda owned sugar plantations were frequently worked
by migrants from peripheral areas of Uganda and
even from outside Uganda.”

History of Uganda
Ingham, Lyons Colonial Uganda Ingham, Lyons Colonial Uganda

Quotation: Quotation:

“During World War II (1939–45) the protectorate “In the immediate postwar years the
faced the task of becoming as self-sufficient as it protectorate administration placed greater
could. More important for Uganda was the emphasis on economic and social development
attempt by the governor, Sir Charles Dundas, to than on political advance. From 1952 the
reverse his predecessors’ policy and to give more government rapidly expanded secondary
freedom to the factions striving for power in education, while legislation was enacted and a
Buganda. The old policy was revived, however, loan fund was established to encourage Africans
after an outbreak of rioting in 1945.” to participate in trade. ”

East Africa Living Encyclopedia East Africa Living Encyclopedia

Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda

Paraphrase: Paraphrase:

The Buganda were pushing for independence in The UPC, under the leadership of Obote, and the
the 1960’s. London gave them the freedom to Ganda faction united to establish a government,
govern themselves in 1961. Benedicto was the that put Obote as the prime minister and Mutesa
first prime minister, but he was replaced by II as president. Tensions between the kabaka
Obote, head of the Uganda Peoples Congress (king) and the UPC grew increasingly tight, due to
(UPC), in the 1962 elections. The British decided the large amount of non-Buganda in the
to give Uganda more governing freedom, and on government. Divisions were also found within the
October 9, 1962, Uganda became an independent two parties, due to ethnic alliances. Obote grew
nation, despite the geographic, political, and dissatisfied and removed the constitution, and
ethnic tensions. arrested five ministers, which made the Ganda
demand Obote remove his government from the
East Africa Living Encyclopedia Baganda kingdom. Obote sent in Idi Amin to
apprehend the kabaka, who fled to England.

East Africa Living Encyclopedia

Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda

Paraphrase: Paraphrase:

Obote proclaimed himself president, got rid of After Amin overthrew Obote, Uganda and the
the kingdoms, and separated Buganda into West were hopeful of unification at last, but this
districts. With these actions the support of was not to be so. At first, the West welcomed
Southwest Uganda was lost and internal turmoil Amin, because Obote’s government had started
began to rise. Obote tried to appease the people to lean towards communism, and this alarmed
by proposing a new electoral system that the West. They then began to notice several
required parliament to get votes from flaws in Amin’s leadership. Amin had little to no
nonaffiliated districts. Before anything could be education and no official administration training.
put in place Idi Amin, Obote’s right-hand man, He often used violence, to secure his power. He
overthrew the government while Obote was out slaughtered his opposition and anyone loyal to
of the country. Amin accomplished this by taking Obote. Amin tried to win the people by requiring
advantage of a rivalry in the military. Amin all non-national Asians to leave the country. This
recruited his Kakwa brothers to fill his ranks. action pleased the people, but set Uganda on the
road to economic failure. Uganda was cut off
East Africa Living Encyclopedia from the global community, the businesses were
given to military bigwigs that absconded with the
profit and collapsed the businesses. The
individuals that lived in the villages were able to
survive the economic collapse, because of the
fertile soil, but in the towns thievery and
immorality became the avenue of existence.

East Africa Living Encyclopedia

Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda Ingham, Lyons Modern Uganda

Quote: Quote:

“Early in 1978 Amin endorsed the mass slaughter “The military commission organized elections for
of Acholis and Langis. Human rights violations December 1980. By this time Obote had returned
soon led the US government to ban trade with to Uganda to lead the UPC. His party's main
Uganda. On October 31, 1978 Amin's forces opposition came from the reborn DP and from
crossed the border with Tanzania and occupied the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM), led by
the Kagera area. Tanzania retaliated, seeking to the young radical Yowri Museveni…Claiming that
punish Amin severely. Under pressure from Obote had rigged the elections, Museveni
President Nyerere, a meeting was convened in proclaimed a guerrilla war of resistance with the
March 1979 at Moshi in Tanzania; this meeting goal of overthrowing him by force. Museveni's
resulted in the formation of a coalition of 18 National Resistance Army (NRA) gained support
Ugandan groups of various ethnic, ideological and in Buganda. This army brought an end to the
political alignments, which came to be called the second Obote presidency in August 1985.”
Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF). On
January 22, 1979 the joint liberation forces East Africa Living Encyclopedia
crossed the border. Libya subsequently sent
1,500 troops to support the Amin regime but
proved unable to stop the liberation forces. The
UNLF and Tanzanian forces occupied Entebbe
early in April 1979. As they advanced on Kampala,
Amin's soldiers and the Libyans fled for other
parts of the country. On April 11 1979 the UNLF
entered Kampala. Amin fled to Libya and later to
Saudi Arabia.”

East Africa Living Encyclopedia

Reid Geography Reid Geography

Quotation:

Quotation: “The southern half of Uganda experiences

heavier rainfall, with two main rainy seasons
“Broadly, the territory itself is plateau land, between March and June and between
enclosed by a rim of mountains on its western September and November, and this – combined
and eastern flanks, and its general elevation with the prevalence of lakes and waterways –
rendering it relatively more temperate in climate means that southern Uganda has the heavier
than much of the surrounding region, despite the vegetation, including savannah grasslands and
fact that it straddles the equator. Uganda lies some equatorial forest, and much richer soils.
almost completely within the Nile basin, and Thus the south has historically been able to
around 16 per cent of its total area is open water support extensive farming and sizeable
and swampland, including the major lakes population densities. In the north, by contrast,
Victoria, Albert, Edward and Kyoga which ring the rainfall is much lower, and certainly less bimodal:
relatively better-watered southern half of the the hot, arid northeast, notably, experiences only
territory. The White Nile, indeed, in many ways one annual rainy season (March–April). Northern
defines and cuts across the territory, flowing out Uganda has much thinner vegetation, and in the
of Lake Victoria at Jinja, intersecting with the dry plains in the northcentral and northeast
western end of Lake Kyoga before moving into zones, pastoralism is predominant. Of course,
Lake Albert, from whence it flows northward out even within these broad areas, there is
of Uganda and into South Sudan.” considerable – even dramatic – variation,
A History of Modern Uganda meaning that despite Uganda’s relatively
compact size it encompasses extraordinary
environmental and climatic diversity: “

A History of Modern Uganda

Reid Geography Reid Geography

Quotation:

Quotation: “The general pattern for the rest of Uganda,

however, is plateau land covered by tree
“: the highland regions of the Ruwenzori savannah, enjoying sufficient rainfall for settled
mountains of the southwest, a political and agriculture. Again farming – and, of course,
cultural frontier land of historical significance, on fishing, one of the oldest economic activities in
the upper reaches of which there is a permanent the area – has been greatly assisted by the
layer of snow, and high rainfall and lower omnipresence of lakes and rivers. With the
temperatures on the lower hills; the remarkable exception of the Nile itself, and the clear streams
sub snowline landscapes of Mt. Elgon in the east; found in the mountainous areas and on the
the dry grasslands of Ankole and the Masaka slopes of the western rift valley, rivers are mostly
area, characterised by undulating hills and sluggish swamps, such as the Kafu, Katonga,
relatively low rainfall; the moist northern and Sezibwa and Mpologoma.“
western strip around Lake Victoria with forest
(including the Mabira belt) stretching from Jinja A History of Modern Uganda
to the Kagera River; the hot and dry Karamoja
area in the northeast. ”

A History of Modern Uganda