Understanding;

THE BUGANDA FACTOR IN POLITICS

For about 400 years, Buganda kingdom was the dominant power in the interlastcustrine region with its strategic location, suitable climate that would foster massive production of food and her courageous leaders who fought countless wars of conquest. The kingdom was surely a dominant force to reckon with, with at its height reaching lake albert to the West, Lake Victoria in the South, lake Kyoga to the North and the Nile to the East. With the arrival of the Europeans, the hospitality of the Baganda paid off with them becoming strategic partners to the British in their conquest of Uganda. The signs were evident from the start that the kingdom, or the Baganda would play a bigger role in Ugandan politics. A case in point, Uganda the country obtained its name from Buganda, the country’s first legitimate constitution according to historians was the 1900 Buganda agreement, the first political movement the bataka party 1947 and the first political party the Uganda National Congress(UNC) 1952, were all Buganda led. Surely the seeds were sown for the Baganda to have a large political say in the politics of post-independence Uganda. But as history will tell us, it all been a case of manipulation and political isolation for the Baganda.

The start of the political movement in Buganda.

With the onset and declaration of British rule in 1894, Buganda was truly a strong ally and partner of the British and the Baganda were poised to play a critical role in the now created Uganda protectorate. Then all hell broke loose in 1899, when Kabaka Mwanga revolted against British occupation and upon defeat, the British created and established the 1900 Buganda agreement that surely was to a larger extent favouring the British. But with the establishment of schools and other structures that would eventually lead to the rise of an elite section of the Baganda and marked the beginning of the political awareness of the Baganda. Yes, schools and other institutions were created in other parts of the country, but Buganda having the colonial capital Entebbe, and business capital Kampala, were at a higher chance of accessing this services. But the seeds of political awareness in Buganda were born in 1947, with the rise of the Bataka movement. It was a movement aimed at fighting for the rights of the Buganda farmers and fighting against exploitation by both the British and the Indians. This was the first organised movement in Uganda. But just like in 1899, all hell broke loose in 1949, with the September 1949, riots. Anger was raised towards the British. The organisers the Bataka and other individuals such as I.K Musaazi organised boycotts of all British and Indian goods. The riots were violent and there was destruction of property and loss of lives all this backed up by the numerous arrests made by the colonial government.

With the arrival of sir Andrew Cohen as governor, many reforms and changes took place in the Uganda protectorate, such as the establishment of radio Uganda, construction of the parliament building , construction and completion of the Owen Falls dam which was by then infrastructure project on the Nile valley . In 1952, I.k Musaazi formed the Uganda National Congress , which was in its own right a party for all Ugandans regardless of tribe religion or ethnicity .It was surely the nationalistic party of the time with its members such as Milton Obote, Grace Ibingira, John kale etc. However on the other hand, Joseph Kasolo in 1954, founded the Democratic party which was a pro Buganda and pro catholic political force. Surely the politicians of this time, understood that harnessing the power of Buganda meant victory and that was surely true, for example DP victory in 1961, and the KY influence helping UPC win the April 1962 elections. But yes, as it was now so it was then, tribalism played a big role in politics. As the UNC expanded, the nationalists led by the Obote faction were against those who were learning the party to the Buganda ideology hence the split by 1960. With the death of John kale in 1960, it marked the total end of the UNC dream. Meanwhile 7 years earlier, the British proposed and were willing to implement the East African federation. This if put in practice meant that the three British East African colonies Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika were to unite into a single federation. This angered the Buganda monarchy as they suspected that it meant it making them lose their independence and influence in greater Uganda and worse still allow the Kenyan British white settlers who were fleeing from the ongoing Mau Mau rebellion settle in Buganda. With all this objection to their plans, the British felt bitter and angry with the Kabaka who was at the forefront of this objection hence the 1953 Buganda crisis. But one thing is for sure, what the Buganda crisis achieved is that it showed the British that the Buganda would do anything to achieve their sovereignty and their interests. But as history will show, this was one of their greatest undoings.

Independence , 1966 Buganda crisis and the follow up..

With the split of the UNC by 1960, there was no strong political player left more so a nationalistic party that united all Ugandans left. However, this void was comfortably filled by the Democractic party who due to their strong Buganda heritage garnered enough support to win and establish Uganda’s first self rule government. But however, in 1961, Buganda loyalists formed the Kabaka Yekka party. It had more of the same Buganda interests as DP, but different in the sense it was catholic and was endorsed by the Kabaka, which made it seem more Buganda learning than DP. Some historians, believe this was a British plot to destroy the DP influence and grip on power by urging the kingdom to create its own political party. Surely KY, believed that once it won the elections, independence and self rule was guaranteed and what a better way to achieve this than an alliance with Uganda Peoples Congress , a party that rose from the ashes of the UNC split. Hence victory in the April 1962 elections, was more less assured. The British did grant Buganda independence 24 hours before the rest of the country but however this didn’t mean any special status for the kingdom in independent Uganda. Well the political logic behind the UPC/KY alliance was this, get a nationalistic party which in this case was UPC , align it with a more Buganda leaning party which is protestant in nature, then bang the unity of this two would be a win . But as history showed, the architects of this alliance especially the Baganda who were duped into thinking that this meant more sovereignty or better still a large political say in independent Uganda were wrong. Just like any fragile alliance, the cracks started to open soon after the 1964 referendum, where the Buganda believed their UPC counterparts should have helped them in a way. This culminated in a series of events that eventually led to the 1966 Buganda crisis. Though the 1966 crisis, was in a way brutal to the people of Buganda, one thing it surely did , is it opened their eyes and made them realise the political game of ethnic manipulation , though however this was just the beginning of such. Post May 24th 1966, the political divide was very bitterly divided between Baganda loyalists and the state. Mr. Obote tried to play the statesman, i.e the unifier, by stating his wife , 7 of his ministers and the bank of Uganda manager were all Baganda, but yes, the damage was already done. The Buganda issue was something that would haunt Obote and UPC for years to come.

With the arrival of Amin, in 1971, was greeted with great joy and celebration especially in Buganda. Amin noticed this euphoria and embarked on sort of a pro Buagnda move. First, he pressed Britain and they accepted to return the body of Mutessa,then he appointed DP stalwart Benidicto Kiwanuka as chief justice and even having a chance to meet then prince Mutebi. Amin was now the darling of the Baganda. Songs of praise were now being composed and sang by the Baganda. But with the onset of the failed September 1972 invasion, the economic war and his frustration and suspicion of Kiwanuka which eventually led to his disappearance, Amin ceased the Buganda pleasing strategy and embarked on strengthen his rule. However, this might have helped Amin, for many of his enemies especially those wagging war against him from exile, very few were Baganda.

Musenvi, mengo and the present.

On December 15th 1980, Mr. Obote became president again. Though again the Buganda legacy helped his opposition gunner support, he was also being helped by another Muganda, Paulo Muwanga. Paolo Muwanga did play a major role in Obote ascending to power in 1980, however a coup in 1985 and THE National Resistence Army take over in 1986 brought the honeymoon of Muwanga to and end. But yes, during this period they were many Baganda who played a major role in Uganda’s political scene such Yusuf Lule who was by that time the political head of NRA, Andrew Kayiira, Joash Mayanja Nkangi who had just formed his conservative party- which some people believe was the modern version Kabaka Yekka, and Paul Ssemwogerere who was by then head of the democratic party and leader of opposition. The NRA, which was by then the largest and strongest armed group fighting the government, did harness Buganda support and use it to its advantage. With Yusuf Lule as political head, they had a Muganda loyalist they could present to the Buganda as their man and hence this made them seem as the true liberators especially for the Baganda who saw them as the only vital force capable of fighting their arch enemy Obote. With this support , Musenvi wanted to strengthen his Buganda support by inviting prince Mutebi to the bush in order to rally support for him and his forces while in the struggle. The deal was simply as this you help me gather support and win the war, upon victory I will restore you to the throne. In 1986, the first part was done and in 1993 the deal was complete. Just like Amin in 1971, or Obote in 1962 , the government in power did have the admiration of the Baganda in its early days.

However, with Mengo now fully established, Mengo actively advocated for the return of the assets taken from them by the state such as land. This was quite unpleasant news for the state, and this led to a series of negations that lasted over a long period of time. This eventually led to the return of some of the assets to the kingdom. Then, just like in the 1950s and 1960s, some sections of the Baganda started demanding for a federal system of government which even led to a formation of a political group , the Uganda federal alliance that also contested the 2011 elections. The state and Mengo did have a moment to forget. In September 2009, exactly 60 years after the 1949 anti-colonial riots, what started as a internal dispute between Mengo and Buruuli and Buganda county erupted in one of the deadliest standoffs between the state and Mengo.and as the say the rest is history.

Currently, with the rise of more political assertive Baganda joining politics, time will tell whether they can claim the leadership of the country or as the history as proven sit back and let the political forces win. Whichever way, however one issue the Ganda aspiring leadership needs to address is that will they be under the kabaka once in power judging all men are his subjects by default or serve the people of Uganda.