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KABAKA CRISIS AND 1955 AGREEMENTS (KABAKA CRISIS (EFFECTS (Popular…
KABAKA CRISIS AND 1955 AGREEMENTS
PRIMARY SOURCES
1955
Oral interview w Petero Mijumbi, Head of Democratic Political Party in 1995
Things used to take forever bc went through king - inefficient
Winyi told to step down after kabaka crisis unless it happened to him
new men felt Winyi grabbed all the powers - not that Britian had misunderstood the structure and fucked up the agreement
Misunderstanding of pre-colonial system? Chiefs wanted bribes - usually paid in goods - system hadn't modernised - what they're saying
Title of Mukama translates to milker - extractive and redistributive
Report of an Inquiry into African Local Government for Protectorate 1953
Administration one of personal rule
Stresses need for checks and balances - existed before their system
Kabaka
Buganda Delegation Re:Deportation
"beloved kabaka"
never before been so united - deliberate in conctext of historical religious divisions?
evidenced by UNC etc - secondary supports fairly unanimous reaction
Lukiiko and Hancock Commission 1954
References whole of Africa - continental issue, much bigger
contact British public and press - savvy, opinion in their favour
KABAKA CRISIS
EFFECTS
Popular reaction in support of kabaka
8-9 Feb declared days of mourning
Low - most people didn't understand or know the causes - knew it was about self-government and assumed kabaka was right
Low - the people now became a powerful political force
shock, confusion, resentment
General upswing in support of traditional institutions
Nationalist politicians take advantage - Ingham
trade boycott - UNC encourages people to buy nothing but basics and only support African shops
Diplomacy
Lukiiko send delegation to Britian - conferences, discussion
Find support in British press, Labour Party - growing anti-colonial sentiment and a number of other incidents in colonies
UNC do also
Protectorate govt want to elect a new kabaka but Mutesa's supporters refuse - Low, Cohen knew would cause unrest
Namirembe Conferences 1954 - Hancock, Australian academic, goes on behalf of British, listens to all grievances and meets people outside committee to seek solution
Ganda elected to Uganda's Legislative Council for 1st time
Anti-European and anti-British sentiment, anger
Plot to poison Cohen + wife
but mostly peaceful
UNC fell apart as focus turned inward
Questions of loyalty - have to follow or traitor to Buganda
Attacks on chiefs who didn't support and who had become over-mighty - Low
Low - intimidation in rural areas not thought to be supportive enough
Mutesa becomes most powerful king since 1883
Made the British appear as masters rather than allies - Low
CAUSES
Kabaka refused to assure British he wouldn't publicly oppose them
Had gone too far to back down
Had dangerous demands e.g. Bugandan independence - Low
Leaks made to press that agitated pre-existing calls for independence - Low
Growing class of young politicians agitating for change - kabaka calls on some of tem
Ganda separatism - had no interest in wider authorising bodies of Uganda when they had Lukiiko - didn't want to diminish importance
Post-45 shift toward not regarding Buganda as special or their co-operation as essential
30 Nov 1953 Governor Cohen signs declaration withdrawing British recognition from Mutesa
State of emergency declared + he was deported to Britain
Announces he will give assurances but British don't think it's enough - Low
Returns 17 Oct 1955 - rejoicing - Low
1955 AGREEMENTS
BUNYORO
CAUSES
Increasing demands for democratisation, wanted a more representative govt
Developing at a slower rate in terms of democracy and modernisation
Beattie - increasing democratisation linked to Namirembe conferences
Committee of educated Banyoro met w Hancock Committee to discuss reform for Bunyoro
Old 1933 Agreement was unpopular w educated elites inc chiefs, school teachers, member of govt
Beattie - "excessively strengthened power of the Mukama
Mukama had too much personal power in appointing, promoting and removing chiefs - was abusing it, appointing incompetenent chiefs bc yes men
Chiefs dislike his constant interference
Various chiefs dismissed for personal slights - title of Pokino abolished when Mukama fired the current one and Brits said to reinstate or have none at all
Beattie - public opinion was turning against Mukama
Pre-Agreement Mukama had little power in choosing of his territorial chiefs - Beattie
Only had to be approved by Governor - lower levels this check was removed - still only power of veto - Beattie
British undermined themselves and he kept dismissing their faves
Inefficient administration - everything had to go through the king
Growing discontent + growing educated elite
"all educated Banyoro" wanted to curtail Mukama's power - Beattie
British couldn't influence king much and wanted to bring into line w other districts
Kabaka crisis gave opportunity - frame as preventing Winyi from suffering same humiliation of deportation - Hancock invited to Bunyoro
EFFECTS
Major change to meritocracy
Colonial state attempting to sustain system
Many new chiefs brought in were sons of chiefs
Mukama reduced to constitutional monarch
Chieftainship no longer a personal gift
Still had some personal but waning influence
power behind the scenes - Doyle
Chiefs chosen by committtee
modernisers portrayed selves as preserving indigenous institutions
BUGANDA
Ignored by everyone inc British
Result of 1953 Crisis
Kabaka a constitutional monarch bound to obey the 1900 Agreement
Increased African representation
Amendment of 1900 Agreement
CONTEXT
CRISIS
Mutesa requests timetable for independence for Buganda
Mutesa expresses concern about the political direction the country was taking
Low - concerns were justified but solutions and methods "clumsy and crude"
Country-wide anxiety about the possibility of an East Africa Federation - wide-spread belief that federation was being imposed in E Africa against wishes of residents
Assurances issued but didn't do much
nationalist politicians took oppportunity to criticise Protec Govt