Uganda’s post-independence history is awash with talk that the Kingdom of Buganda delayed Uganda’s political independence which took place in 1962.
Indeed, had it not been for Buganda’s secessionist policy, Uganda could have attained independence by the mid-1950’s considering other factors.
Uganda got her independence on October 9, 1962 from Britain.
So, what caused the delay?
Buganda traditionalists and other political novices so much antagonized Uganda’s earliest struggle for independence.
While nationalists and internationally exposed politicians such as Francis Semakula Mulumba were agitating for independence for the whole country, Sir Edward Muteesa II the Kabaka of Buganda was advocating for Buganda’s secession and independence from Uganda.
The struggle for Uganda’s independence was first manifested during the 1945 and 1949 riots in Uganda. During the riots, Ugandans demanded for democratic governance, economic and political independence.
Squandered opportunity
By 1945, the situation in Uganda was already politically ripe. The 1945 and 1949 Buganda riots which involved ex-servicemen in the Second World War, were a good ingredient that would have catapulted Uganda to its independence. Writing about the effect of the 1945 riots, the London Times newspaper of October 9, 1962 in Kampala said:
“The British response to this awakening political activity was to appoint Africans members to the Legislative Council in 1945 and increase that number during the decade. It was not enough. The high prices paid for Uganda’s cotton and coffee in the early 1950s led to a brief, but striking era of expansion in the social services and particularly in providing education and this gave a new impetus to growth of political awareness already strengthened by events elsewhere in Africa.”
The paper also revealed that: “The steady pass to self-governance envisaged by even the most liberal thinkers in Britain as late as 1945 was no longer feasible.” Although the riots were serious in Buganda region, they were also in Mbarara, Jinja and Tororo.
Meanwhile in Buganda, Kabaka Muteesa II was busy advocating for the secession of his kingdom Uganda and independence, a move that was not only impossible but also delayed Uganda’s independence.
Because the March 10, 1900 Uganda agreement stipulated that Buganda was to be a province of Uganda.
Article 3, clause 3 of the Uganda agreement in part states that: “The Uganda protectorate has been and will continue to be developed as a unitary state. The kingdom of Buganda will continue to go forward under the government of His Highness the Kabaka and play its part, in accordance with clause 3 of the agreement as a province and a component part of the protectorate.”
The British would therefore not let Buganda secede.
Buganda demands secession and independence
In November 1953, Kabaka Muteesa was deported to England on the Queen’s order for opposing the proposed establishment of the East African Federation and demanding the secession of Buganda from Uganda and its independence.
On August 6, 1953, the Sir Edward Muteesa, Kabaka of Buganda wrote a letter to the Governor of Uganda. in part paragraph eleven reads: “…at the same time I must bring to your Excellency’s notice the fact that as it is the policy of Her Majesty’s government to lead countries under its protection to ultimate political independence within the Commonwealth, we as Her Majesty’s government to prepare and put into effect a plan designed to achieve our independence and if possible within a short stated space of time…”
After a long legal battle that Buganda legal brains won, in 1955 Kabaka Muteesa was allowed to return from exile. On his arrival, Muteesa signed the Namiremebe agreement of 1955. The agreement made Buganda a constitutional monarchy and under the Uganda protectorate.
When Muteesa returned, he was bitter and seemed not to have grasped the colonial politics and soon he was at it again. In 1957, he refused the Buganda kingdom to send members to the Legislative Council; which again prolonged the struggle for Uganda’s independence.
While in London, in 1960, leader of the Democratic Party, Benedicto Kiwanuka held a press and was quoted by the Guardian newspaper of October 5, 1960 as having said: “Since 1957, when Buganda refused to send members to the Legislative Council, Kiwanuka said, “Buganda’s attempt to secede has delayed Uganda’s development and independence”
Finally, with a lot of wasted political energy and time, negotiations that ended in October 1961 at the Lancaster conference, on October 9, 1962 incredibly Uganda got independence without any staged military resistance against the colonial masters but through marathon negotiations.
While in some countries citizens militarily fought for and their countries to attain independence and many lives were lost, in Uganda, there is no death that was recorded as of the fight for the country’s independence from the British colonialists.