UGANDA WAADHIMISHA NA KUSHEREHEKEA MIAKA 50 YA UHURU WA NCHI YAO

A 50-year journey since independence (1962-2012)A 50-year journey since independence (1962-2012): a good foundation for socio-economic transformation

I congratulate all of you on the attainment of the 50 years of independence. I wish all of you a happy future.Before I talk about the last 50 years, let me first talk about Uganda. There is a wrong but pervasive idea that Uganda was created by the British in 1894. Even some official documents propagate this lie. I have tried several times, in the past, to dispel this lie. Let me try again.

Before the emergence of the present dynasties (the Kabakas, the Bahinda, the Bashambo, the Babiito, etc), Uganda had become one kingdom when Ruyonga and Ishaza formed an alliance, through the marriage of the former’s daughter called Nyamate, to the latter. Ishaza and Nyamate produced Isimbwa (Simbwa among the Baganda). Isimbwa succeeded Ruyonga and his capital was in Bigo bya Mugyenyi in the present day Sembabule district. Isimbwa, eventually went to Bunyoro and produced a boy child with Nyinamwiru, Bukuku’s daughter. The boy was the famous Ndahura (Ndawula in Luganda). Isimbwa went to Bukiri (Lango and Acholi). He, later, abdicated to his son Ndahura. By this time, Ankore, Buganda, Bunyoro, Bukiri were one kingdom, under Ndahura. One of the Bachwezi, Kyomya, had children with a Mukiri woman called Nyatwooro, daughter of Rabongo. The children were: Nyarwa, Isingoma, Mpuga Rukidi, Kato Kimera, Kintu and Kiiza. These legends may not be exact in terms of details. They, however, give a general outline of the linkages of our peoples. The shared Bachwezi names say it all: Isimbwa, Ndahura (Ndawula), Kagoro, Mukasa (Mugasha), Kyomya, Wamara, Mugyenyi, etc. Archaeology confirms this history. The excavations at Bigo and Ntutsi confirm that there were huge settlements at those sites by 1350 AD and 900 AD, respectively. There were huge cities there (Endembo). Who were the kings there? Certainly they were not the present dynasties of Buganda, Bunyoro or Ankore. Who, then, were they?

When we restored the traditional leaders, it was our expectation that the cultural institutions would delve into these obvious linkages among our peoples instead of promoting tribal chauvinism. Mji wa Kampala

Waganda leo wanasherehekea miaka 50 ya uhuru wa Nchi yao

It was not just that the kingdoms and the chiefdoms of Uganda had linkages among themselves, it is also true that what is now Uganda had close and organic links with the Coast of East Africa, with Congo and with South Sudan. As I have pointed out some time back, the excavations at Ntutsi and Bigo retrieved cowrie shells (ensimbi) and glass beads (enkwanzi). Cowrie shells could only come from the ocean and there is no ocean in Uganda. Where, then, did the cowrie shells come from? Obviously, it was from the ocean. Which ocean? The Indian Ocean, because, at that time, the route to the Atlantic ocean, through Congo, was not open. It is Stanley who opened that route in 1874. Uganda was not manufacturing glass beads. Where did they come from? They were coming from India as well as from the Middle East and passing through Zanzibar. The oneness and linkages of the African peoples in this Region is further illustrated by the dialects, the languages, the clan system and other aspects of culture

My question, then, is: if you say that Uganda was created by the British in 1894, did the British create these similarities and linkages?  The answer is, obviously a big “no”.  The people of this area are either similar or linked.  At some stage, according to the oral history, a big chunk of them were even governed together as I already said.  In any case, they were always trading together ─ all the way to the River Congo in the West and to the Indian Ocean in the East.  The kingdoms that colonialism found in the area, were, sometimes, fighting each other but, sometimes, co-operating with one another.

Indeed, on page 300 of Hannington Speke’s Book: The Discovery of the Source of the Nile, Kamurasi made the following comments to Speke:

“After arriving there, and going through the usual salutations, Kamurasi asked us from what stock of people we came, explaining his meaning by saying, “as we, Rumanika, Mtesa, and the rest of us (enumerating the kings), are Wawitu (or Princes), Uwitu (the country of the Princes) being to the east”. 

Kamurasi was referring to Rumanyika of Karagwe, Tanzania, as his brother and Mutesa as his son.  Therefore, all these were fraternal kingdoms that at some stage were governed together.  However, even at this stage, following the disintegration of the old kingdom, Bunyoro was still a very large kingdom, covering an area that could not be smaller than the present day Uganda.

On page 277 of the same book, Speke was trying to intimidate Kamurasi’s official known as Kijwiiga, mis-pronounced as ‘Kidgwiga’, by saying that if the latter did not open the way for them to Gani, they would combine with Mutesa (Mtesa) and the latter’s rebellious brothers such as Ruyonga and fight him.  Kijwiiga answered as follows:

“Nonsense! Kamrasi is the chief of all the countries around here ─ Usoga, Kidi, Chopi, Gani, Ulega, everywhere; he has only to hold up his hand and thousands would come to his assistance”.

Tunawatakia kila la heri Waganda wote katika sikukuu hii.