HISTORY
Pre-Colonization
Uganda has been an independent nation only since 1962. History before British colonization in 1894 is not well-documented, so little is known about the people that inhabited the region prior to 1894. When Europeans first explored Uganda, they found the region to be divided into three individual kingdoms: Buganda, Kitara, and Karagwe. These kingdoms are believed to have originated in the 16th century. The Buganda Kingdom became the most dominant of the three, and had ample time to grow and organize itself since outsiders did not arrive in Uganda until the 19th Century.
Colonial Period
As the source of the Nile, Uganda was a hot commodity among the European imperial powers. The 1890 Treaty of Berlin declared Uganda, as well as some of its neighbors, a British protectorate. To Ugandans, this meant little as they felt no affiliation towards Great Britain. The British introduced coffee and cotton as cash crops and employed an indirect approach to governmental rule. This meant that the traditional kingdoms were still self-governing, although the British favored the Buganda tribespeople as civil servants. Other tribespeople were dominant in different sectors; for example, the Acholi and Lango people were dominant in the military. This British-influenced tribal segregation ultimately instigated the intertribal conflict and instability following independence.
Independence
Uganda was granted independence in 1962. The country’s initial transition was orderly and non-violent, and was accompanied by investments in education, health care, and public services. Within four years of its independence, however, the country began its decline into violence and poverty. During this time, the kabaka, or king, was the new president, Edward Mutesa II, and Milton Obote was the prime minister. Obote was the Lango leader of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), part of the group that led Uganda to independence in 1962. Obote staged a coup in 1966, confirming that he had no intention of sharing power with the kabaka. Under Obote’s new constitution, the Buganda lost all their power, there were no presidential or vice presidential offices, and he, Obote, had absolute power.
Uganda has been an independent nation only since 1962. History before British colonization in 1894 is not well-documented, so little is known about the people that inhabited the region prior to 1894. When Europeans first explored Uganda, they found the region to be divided into three individual kingdoms: Buganda, Kitara, and Karagwe. These kingdoms are believed to have originated in the 16th century. The Buganda Kingdom became the most dominant of the three, and had ample time to grow and organize itself since outsiders did not arrive in Uganda until the 19th Century.
Colonial Period
As the source of the Nile, Uganda was a hot commodity among the European imperial powers. The 1890 Treaty of Berlin declared Uganda, as well as some of its neighbors, a British protectorate. To Ugandans, this meant little as they felt no affiliation towards Great Britain. The British introduced coffee and cotton as cash crops and employed an indirect approach to governmental rule. This meant that the traditional kingdoms were still self-governing, although the British favored the Buganda tribespeople as civil servants. Other tribespeople were dominant in different sectors; for example, the Acholi and Lango people were dominant in the military. This British-influenced tribal segregation ultimately instigated the intertribal conflict and instability following independence.
Independence
Uganda was granted independence in 1962. The country’s initial transition was orderly and non-violent, and was accompanied by investments in education, health care, and public services. Within four years of its independence, however, the country began its decline into violence and poverty. During this time, the kabaka, or king, was the new president, Edward Mutesa II, and Milton Obote was the prime minister. Obote was the Lango leader of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), part of the group that led Uganda to independence in 1962. Obote staged a coup in 1966, confirming that he had no intention of sharing power with the kabaka. Under Obote’s new constitution, the Buganda lost all their power, there were no presidential or vice presidential offices, and he, Obote, had absolute power.
The Amin Years
Idi Amin
In 1971, while Obote was away at a government meeting in Singapore, his army chief of staff, Idi Amin, staged a coup and declared himself president. Initially, Amin had the support of Ugandans and the international community alike. The Buganda supported the fall of Obote, who had forced their king into exile. The British suffered from Obote’s nationalization of foreign assets and other western countries saw Amin as an ally against communism.
However, the idealisms of democracy and constitutionalism quickly disappeared and Amin’s notorious terror became evident. The first victims were members of the army. The people did not question Amin’s behavior since the members of the armed forces were seen as Obote supporters. The violence was also an act of tribal division since most of the first victims were Lango or Acholi.
In the next 8 years, around 300,000 Ugandans were massacred. Amin ordered the army to shoot anyone who was suspected of opposition to his regime. Next he turned on the Acholi and Lango tribes, wiping out entire villages. Professionals were also a target: doctors, lawyers, professors, businesspeople and even military officers who might have been a threat to him were shot or never seen again.
Parliament was shut down and all political activities came to a halt. One particular act brought the Amin regime to international attention and caused the Ugandan economy to crash: the expulsion of the Asian population. Many South Asians were brought to Uganda as slave laborers during the colonial period. Since they were not allowed to own land to farm, they began trading instead and quickly became very successful. They were the driving force behind import and export trade that stimulated the economy to grow. In an attempt to “Africanize,” Amin ordered all 90,000 Asians to leave, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Shops and warehouses were left full of goods. Amin squandered the goods and spread the wealth among his supporters.
The economy crashed following the departure of the Asians. Industry and tourism halted, infrastructure was demolished, hospitals and rural clinics closed, and interest rates escalated to 1000%.
With a collapsed economy and a restless army, Amin chose a war with Tanzania as a diversion. It did not take long for his army to disintegrate and Tanzania to declare victory over Amin, thus bringing an end to the Amin rule in 1979.
Transitional Times
Although Amin was no longer in power, terror still reigned throughout Uganda. The next two appointed leaders showed little confidence and were short-lived. Political parties were on the rise and eventually a glimpse of democracy was seen when elections were held for the first time since 1962. Although there is great suspicion regarding fraud in the election, the UPC party won the election and declared Obote President. Obote was immediately seen as a threat. His army attacked north-western Uganda, the area where Amin was from. Obote appeared to punish the whole area with extreme acts of violence and was on his way to declaring absolute power once again.
During the same time, a guerilla movement was growing under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni. The movement was known as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its army, the National Resistance Army (NRA). The movement was organized, strong, and had a network of information and support. The NRA ambushed Obote’s army and eventually the latter was no match for the former. In 1986, Museveni and the NRA captured Kampala and Museveni was declared the new president.
During the same time, a guerilla movement was growing under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni. The movement was known as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its army, the National Resistance Army (NRA). The movement was organized, strong, and had a network of information and support. The NRA ambushed Obote’s army and eventually the latter was no match for the former. In 1986, Museveni and the NRA captured Kampala and Museveni was declared the new president.
The Museveni Administration
President Museveni
Yoweri Museveni brought about a 360 degree change in Uganda’s economic, social and political arenas. In the late 1980s, Museveni worked to rebuild the economy and social structure of the war-torn country. The agricultural sector was back on track, industries were operating once again, services were restored, and roads were rebuilt. Hundreds of thousands of Ugandan refugees that had fled to neighboring countries returned.
The 1990s was a decade of unprecedented economic growth for Uganda. The country was seen as a model for all of Africa. The instigators of this economic growth were the Asians who had been exiled under Amin. Museveni invited them back with promises of property and other assurances, and the Asians once again are helping develop Uganda’s business and commerce.
Museveni abolished all political parties in Uganda in an effort to avoid intertribal conflict, and restored the Bugandan monarchy but with no political power. Elections were held in 1996 and 2001; Museveni was re-elected president in both.
Uganda held elections again in February 2006. According to the constitution, President Museveni was not supposed to be allowed to run again. However, Museveni changed the constitution so that he could run for reelection. This was a very controversial move on his part and one not supported by all Ugandans. However, many Ugandans showed their support for Museveni during the elections and he emerged victorious again in 2006. The next election will be next year in 2011.
The 1990s was a decade of unprecedented economic growth for Uganda. The country was seen as a model for all of Africa. The instigators of this economic growth were the Asians who had been exiled under Amin. Museveni invited them back with promises of property and other assurances, and the Asians once again are helping develop Uganda’s business and commerce.
Museveni abolished all political parties in Uganda in an effort to avoid intertribal conflict, and restored the Bugandan monarchy but with no political power. Elections were held in 1996 and 2001; Museveni was re-elected president in both.
Uganda held elections again in February 2006. According to the constitution, President Museveni was not supposed to be allowed to run again. However, Museveni changed the constitution so that he could run for reelection. This was a very controversial move on his part and one not supported by all Ugandans. However, many Ugandans showed their support for Museveni during the elections and he emerged victorious again in 2006. The next election will be next year in 2011.