History

Uganda is among the countries in the world which have not enjoyed the political arena. The country holds on the awkward political background ever since her independence of 9th October, 1962.

There has been a chronology of events which still brands the country in flames of obscene politics. Below is a well-designed brief chronological order of political events of Uganda.

Earlier Uganda, people in the territory lived in their respective traditional belongings which always staged wars for boundary enlargements and these included Buganda Kingdom which was the dominating tribe by then, followed by Bunyororo, Toro, Ankole, Bamasaba, Busoga, Acholi among many. These clan, chiefdoms and kingdoms had a structured system of governance which dated back.

Buganda started in the 18th century and by 19th century the kingdom had expanded to Buganda started expanding at the expense of neighboring Bunyoro and Busoga controlling territories around the shores of Lake Victoria. The territories went on with the Nile to the Victoria Nile the Kagera River.

1840s – First nonblack person entered Uganda through Buganda Kingdom who had come from the Indian Ocean costs seeking for slaves and ivory in exchange for firearms, mirrors, cloths, beads and other gifts, the Arabs meet King Sun II at his palace at Wamala.

1862- First European person surfaces on the land, this was the British explore John Hanning Speke.

1875 – The Kabaka of Buganda Mutesa I wrote a letter to Queen Victoria by the guide of Henry Marton Stanly inviting missionaries to introduce Christianity to Buganda.

The foreign emergence in the governance of Uganda

1877 – The first bunch group of British Church Missionary arrive in Buganda and next in 1879 also the fresh bunch of the Roman Catholic White Fathers also arrives.

1894 – The British and Germany sign a treat which gave Britain right over the East African Interior which comprised of various territories which were combined later to form Uganda.

1894 – Captain Fredrick Lugard an agent of the British East African Company extended its territories of southern Uganda to take control as well help the Protestants missionaries to prevail over their counterparts the catholic in Buganda.

1894 – Uganda was declared a British protectorate

1900 – The famous Buganda agreement was signed between the British colonialists and Buganda Kingdom, this was aimed at giving Buganda autonomy turning Buganda into a constitutional monarchy under the protectorate masters.

1921 – Uganda was given a legislative council which was only filled with the white not until 1945 when the first black person was allowed in the legislative council.

1962 –    The most memorable date in Ugandan history, Uganda was granted autonomy over every affair and Apollo Milton Obote became the executive Prime Minister as the British Walter Scout remained the Governor.

1963 – Uganda became a Republic state, where the parliament voted the Buganda King Fredrick Edward Luwangula Wakaga Mutesa II the ceremonial President of the Republic of Uganda.

The Awkward Political Status of Uganda

1966 – The army of Uganda under the lead of Idi Amin Dada by the orders of Apollo Milton Obote to overthrow the King of Buganda. This marked a pause on the autonomy and functioning of Buganda Kingdom. Obote declared himself the president of the Republic of Uganda.

1967 – The famous pigeonhole constitution was passed by the parliament, though the members of the parliament didn’t know what was in the constitution. Yet constitution was a package of absolute powers to the president.

1971 – President Obote being at the Common Wealth meeting in Singapore, Amin made a bloodless coup and declared himself the president of Uganda. Obote returning went for asylum in Tanzania.

1972 – President Amin warns and declared Indians not Uganda, and He forced them to flee the country

1973 – Amin returns back the dead body of Mutesa II who died in 1969 in London. The same year Uganda crashes with Tanzania over borders.

1976 – Idi Amin Dada declares himself president for life, as well Amin extended the boundaries of Uganda to western Kenya.

1979 – with great support from Tanzania Uganda National Liberation Front was started (UNLF), after Amin tried on many occasions to invade Tanzania to annex the Kagera region this provoked Tanzania to fully and openly sponsor the UNLF group and the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF). The attack overthrow President Amin from the throne, Yusuf Lule became the president but was shortly overpowered and followed by Godfrey Binaisa shortly after only 63days.

1980 – The army overthrew Binaisa, and throw an election Obote claimed back the president’s seat. This was one of the fake eras full of kidnaps and killings.

1985 – A military coup overthrew Obote and Tito Okello became the president

1986 – A rebel group of National Resistances Army emerged took over power installing Yoweri Kaguta Museveni another president to date.

1993 – The paused Buganda Kingdom as well other traditional systems regained their supremacy and this time there were not allowed to involve in the political matters.

1995 – A new constitution was amended, under this system, political parties remained in abeyance. Elections to most political offices was by universal suffrage. Marginalized groups like the women, the disabled, the youth and workers were given special consideration in all administrative units of Government. The military gained representation in parliament.

1996 – A 2nd national election in history was carried which confirmed President Yoweri Kaguta Musevi the continuing president of the Republic of Uganda. This continued in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 president Museveni emerging the winner for the office.

Since 2000 the government of Uganda has severely suffered with the effect of rebel groups including the Lord Resistance Army (LRD) led by Konyi, the military group worked in northern Uganda and a great number of people lost their lives, relatives and properties. Other rebel groups included Holy Spirit Movement led by Alice Auma Lakwena, and The Allied Democratic Forces led by Jamil Mukulu.

2002 – There was a score for a peace deal between Uganda National Rescue Front rebels following negotiations of about 5 years.

The constitution has been amended several times to ensure there is spaces created to allow President Museveni contest elections which has compromised chances of Uganda to watch the real exchange of power from the gun president to civilian. And the recent one was the fights in the parliament where the SFC soldiers were seen in parliament beating opposition MPs as they rejected the amendment of the article 102b of the constitution of Uganda.