Uganda Independence

Uganda Independence

Uganda’s approach to independence was unlike that of most other colonial territories where political parties had been organized to force self-rule or independence from a reluctant colonial government. In Uganda there had been some demands for greater autonomy, but these were mostly expressed by local nationalisms surrounding the five constituent kingdoms of the colony. One exception was the long-lived Uganda National Congress, based on the Congress Party of India.

Uganda was greatly divided along national, religious, and ethnic lines. The national divisions were the most apparent. The country was dominated by Buganda, much to the annoyance of the other four kingdoms. The kingdom of Bunyoro felt especially aggrieved having been deprived of its “lost counties” when Uganda became a British protectorate.

Deep religious divisions had developed. The British-linked and British-supported elite had largely converted to Protestantism. The majority of the population, were Catholic and they were excluded from power by the Protestants. Ethnic divisions were just as important. Under the British, Uganda’s economic activity was mostly undertaken by a large group of Indian immigrants who operated many of the businesses and constituted the majority of the colony’s merchants. Moreover, there was a long-standing divide between the Nilotics of the north and the Bantu of the south of the country.

Upon independence three parties developed. The Democratic Party (DP), modelled on Germany’s Christian Democrats, represented the Catholic population. Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) was supported mainly by groups from the north and western parts. The Kabaka Yekka (KY) (meaning ‘king only’) was a Bugandan nationalist party. In the pre-independence period the Democratic Party, surprisingly, won the most seats, but not a majority. Uganda People’s Congress and Kabaka Yekka united to form the government, excluding the DP. Upon independence Milton Obote, the leader of Uganda People’s Congress, became the nation’s first Prime Minister.

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