CHAPTER TWELVE: ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIAL RULE IN UGANDA
Introduction
Much as East Africa had been partitioned as we have seen in the previous chapter, the hardest task remained with how to make the colonial rule formally acceptable. They had to make sure that the colonies were self reliant without relying on the British taxpayers.
The people of Uganda did not accept colonial rule in a simple way as such. Some people immediately resisted actively while others collaborated. The British had to use many methods to control the region with less resistance.
Today's Uganda was first entered into by Arabs and Swahili slave and Ivory traders in 1844. Explorers and later on Christian missionaries followed these in 1877. The missionaries taught people how to read and write, converted many to Christianity and created a group of people loyal to colonialists as well. They established important schools, which produced leaders who were loyal to the colonialists.
Physical colonization of Uganda was promoted by British administrators who tricked Ugandan kings and chiefs in signing agreements and treaties.
Captain F.D. Lugard was the first one to sign agreements with Mwanga of Buganda in 1890, Kasagama of Toro in 1891 and Ntare of Ankole.
Then in 1894 the British declared Uganda a British protectorate but this protectorate was limited to Buganda. In 1895 the British signed an agreement with Busoga. In 1900 Sir Harry Johnston, a British special commissioner signed the Buganda agreement, in Toro and Ankole the same agreements were signed. !-->!-->!--> !-->!-->!-->
These agreements brought all these areas under British control after making boundary changes which survived up to independence period.
The British therefore used the Kingdom of Buganda, the collaborators and sympathizers to promote their rule. Leading converted Christians like Apollo Kaggwa and Semei Kakungulu were very influential in promoting colonial rule.
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By 1904, Semei Kakungulu who fought tirelessly for the British had brought all the areas of Teso, Bukedi, and Bugisu under colonial control.
Military and forceful means were applied in areas where collaboration failed. Omukama Kabalega of Bunyoro Kingdom resisted British rule from the beginning. However in April 1899 Col. Colville with a few Europeans and a large number of Sudanese troops fought and brought Kabalega to his knees. He was deported to Seychelles islands. Also through a series of military attacks,Lango, Acholi and more were brought under British rule.
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The Berlin conference of 1884/5 played a very important role in officially determining Uganda's boundaries. From this conference Europeans agreed on peaceful sharing of Africa. It was as a result of the Berlin conference that: The former East Province of Uganda (Rift Valley region) was given to Kenya in 1902. Kigezi, part of Belgian Rwanda was transferred to Uganda as compensation for the 1902 territory given to Kenya in 1909. West Nile district was given to Uganda by Belgian Congo which took the Sudanese area of Barilokuta in 1914. The Alur, Kakwa and the Madi were all incorporated in that district. Turkana region, which was part of Uganda, was transferred to Kenya British protectorate in 1926
By 1920, the whole present day Uganda was under British control except Karamoja, which was subjugated in 1926.
In the 1920s, the first legislative council (Legco) was formed comprising of Europeans and Asians only. Africans were left out completely in the politics of their country.
Captain Lugard came to East Africa after the accomplishing a British mission in Ghana in 1888. He joined the service of IBEA co. which sent him to Uganda arriving at Mengo on 18th December 1890.
On his arrival in Mengo, he signed a treaty with Kabaka Mwanga in which Mwanga recognised the company's authority in Buganda and placed the kingdom under British sphere of influence.
Lugard found tense situation in Buganda with four major political factions competing for power and influence around the weak minded Kabaka Mwanga. They were Catholics, Protestants, Moslems and Pagans.
Lugard was able to unite the Christians groups temporarily in a campaign against the Moslems in Bunyoro.
Lugard established the headquarters of the Imperial British East African Co. at Old Kampala.
He led a large combined force to the borders of Bunyoro where he defeated and exiled the Moslem troops.
Lugard signed a treaty with the representatives of king Ntare V, the Mugabe of Ankole thereby extending the company influence over Ankole.
He enrolled in his army the services of Salim Bay and his Sudanese mercenaries formerly used to carry out the decisive military campaigns against Kabalega.
He restored Kasagama as the Omukama of Toro under the protection of their many forces.
He established a line of forts along the border of Toro and Ankole during his campaigns against Bunyoro.
Lugard is known for offering Mwanga of Buganda a honourable restoration after the battle of Mengo in which Mwanga and the Catholics had fled to Bulingugwe islands.
Mwanga returned under a new agreement signed on 15th April 1892. The terms of the agreement were as follows:
Mwanga would accept British protection in totality
He would never declare war without the consent of the British resident Commissioner.
The IBEA Company would recognise the power of the Kabaka.
All arms and the slave trade be officially abolished.
All the Europeans in Buganda would be under the control of the IBEA company.
Mbogo, a Moslem leader who was in Bunyoro with his supporters came back and endorsed the agreement on behalf of his followers.
Uganda was directly taken over by the British government in 1894. Financing the administration of Uganda however became very expensive. For example, between 1897 and 1898, Britain spent 89,000 pounds to administer Uganda. Between 1899 to 1900, Britain spent 397,000 pounds. These expenses forced the British government to explore ways of cutting costs. H.H Johnston was charged with this responsibility.
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