Uganda Colonial History
It was the decade of the 1960s, when the exploration of the starting point of the River Nile led the British to enter Uganda for the first time. By the year 1888 the control of the Imperial British East Africa Company came into strength, which was further reinforced by the Anglo-German agreement in 1890 that reiterated the authority of the British in Kenya and Uganda. |
However, colonial rule turned out to be an extremely expensive bargain for the British. In 1894, the British government declared a protectorate over Buganda. During the mutiny of 1897, British Indian Army had to be moved to Uganda to counteract the situation. This cost of transportation weighed heavy on the rulers. In 1900, the commissioner of Uganda, Sir Harry H. Johnston was given directions to institute a proficient authority by levying taxes. However, no amount of deliberation with the chiefs in Buganda helped the scenario. In fact, the chiefs ended up having an upper hand in all matters including occupancy of fertile lands, leaving the British with a piece of marshy land of little utility.
Taxes were levied on huts and guns via the Johnston's Buganda Agreement of 1900, wherein the chiefs were assigned the role of tax collectors. These Buganda agents commenced work in Kigezi, Mbale and Bunyoro. However, instead of streamlining administration, this led to further problems as the inhabitants disliked the interference of these agents on issues of language, dressing and religion. Finally, the Bunyoro rebelled and uprooted the sub imperialism of the Buganda agents in 1907. The commissioners followed by Johnston fonnd Uganda inappropriate for European settlement. As a consequence, the White settlers shifted to the highlands of Kenya. Finally, much before the commencement of World War I, a commissioner highlighted that Uganda should be an African state.
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