Obote and Uganda’s Independence
” At the turning-point in the history of Uganda, I hope that all our friends will join with me in bestowing upon the new, independent Uganda our prayers and hopes for peace, prosperity and a growing strength in her now role in international affairs. Uganda has many friends, both within her borders and outside. With the goodwill of all who wish to see her prosper, Uganda will go forward from strength to strength.
Let us pause for a moment and look back along the path we have traveled. In the days before this part of the African continent was known to the western world, we became known as a group of peoples who welcomed the traveler, the missionary and the explorer. As the years passed, we reaped the benefit of this friendly nature of ours. The technical progress of the last half-century has transformed our country in countless ways. But, fortunately, we have continued to keep our own customs and culture. It is up to us now, more than ever, in shaping our new country, to achieve a consolidation, in which neither the rapid progress of recent years, nor the age-old customs of our forefathers, are lost or diminished, but rather fused into a new national characteristic in which the best is preserved, while the worst may be thrown away.
AN UHURU MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER
from the Uganda Argus
National unity
What other aims have we, today, on looking forward? One of our first needs must be national unity. The narrow ambitions of a tribe, a sect, or a party must be subordinated to the greater needs of one complete Uganda.
In our Government of these past months, we have striven to put the interests of Uganda before all else, and we shall continue to do so. But on attaining independence, this Government has new responsibilities to bear, heavier than those which any previous government in Uganda has borne, and we are conscious of the care and statesmanship with which we must move in taking our first steps in foreign affairs. In the Commonwealth and in the United Nations we shall be among friendly states, both from other parts of Africa and from elsewhere. But the regard in which a nation is held in the eyes of the world depends upon the successful operation of a complex machinery.
On 9th October, 1962, Uganda becomes an independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations. H.M. the Queen becomes Queen of Uganda and the Head of State, represented in Uganda by a Governor-General.
Her Majesty is to be represented at the celebrations by H.R.H. the Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Kent who will afterwards make a tour of the Regions.
from the Uganda Independence Souvenir Programme.
We have paid attention to the design of that machinery. First, we require political stability. My Government will seek to maintain that stability, by the strict maintenance of law and order, by retaining the confidence of the voters, and by upholding the freedom of the individual. Secondly, we require to safeguard the economy. This we will do by diversifying and improving our agriculture, providing incentives to industry, and creating conditions which encourage foreign investment. Thirdly, we will press forward with social services within realistic bounds and not as dictated by idealism. Fourthly, we need an efficient civil service to operate the Government. Uganda is well provided with well-qualified African officers and we shall continue to ensure that these are attracted into government service by the offer of the right terms, so that a balanced Africanisation programme shall continue.
I conclude by emphasising that there is a place in the Uganda of today for all who have her interests at heart, whatever their tribe, race or creed. Let all of us, who wish to see Uganda prosper, join together today in resolving to build a great and united nation.”
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Obote: Forming Uganda People’s Congress
The Prime Minister of Uganda
The man who leads the new independent nation was once a labourer on a building site.
Uganda Argus, 1962.
Click Here: Obote: Part 1- The Premier’s Own Story
Highly political
He paused and said: “I decided then that I wanted to enter either law or politics.” This was the first time that he had mentioned politics and I was interested to know just how he first took an interest. The answer is very simple. “My family has always been highly political and I grew up with politics. The fathers of Mr. Obote and his Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, Mr. Adoko Nekyon, are brothers and their mothers are sisters. And the Prime Minister’s voice took on a rather bitter note, as he recalled the next part of his life story.
“I was offered a scholarship by Lango Local Government to take either a law course or economics, and was offered a place to study law by an American University. The Uganda Government turned it down, because it said American law would be no good for this country. Then I decided to go to London University to study law. This too was turned down by the Government on the excuse, that it was unnecessary expenditure as lawyers were not required in this country. So then I decided to change to economics and was offered a place by Gordon College, Khartoum. That one was turned down by the Government as well – because it said I could not make up my mind, where or what I wanted to study.
Job problem
“Then I gave up and took a correspondence course instead. I studied law, politics and a bit of journalism for a year.” But some good came out of Mr. Obote’s being refused a scholarship, because he went on: “I travelled throughout Lango telling the people of the great injustice I had received from the Government and selling to them the idea that the people of Lango should organise their own independent scholarship fund to award their own scholarships. The fun’s now working well and about 20 scholars have gone abroad on the scheme from money raised by local Government taxes. I kept up correspondence courses until 1957, although I never took any examinations.” But now 26-year-old Obote was faced with a problem, he had to get a job.
Deliberate
And he took one – as a labourer. “This was a deliberate decision,” he told me. “I had become interested in the trade union movement. And I decided the best way to learn more about trade unionism was to start at the bottom”. One of the labourers toiling for Mowlem Construction Company Ltd. building the silo for the grain conditioning plant at Jinja, was the future Prime Minister. And as far as he can remember, his wages were 22/- a month. But for his first job, Mr. Obote went down to Kenya, joined the Kenya African Union and took a labourer’s job at Miwa?? Sugar Works near Kisumu.
18/- a month
“It wasn’t a very good job”, he remembered. “It was very hard work. After three weeks at that I got a job with the treasury in Kisumu. I think I was getting then about 18/- a month. I had to leave the sugar works because there were a lot of Lango there. They objected to the son of a chief and ????? student at Makerere working as a labourer. When I took the job with the treasury I did not reveal my identity and told them I was a junior secondary man.”
After a month with the treasury, Mr. Obote decided to move to Jinja, and although the treasury wanted him to stay on and he did in fact work another fortnight, he then went to Mowlems. This was before the days of trade unions in Uganda, but he began to organise the workers. But he could not conceal his education for long. “After two months the company found I was not an ordinary labourer and promoted me to office work”, he said. “When a labour advisory committee was set up in Jinja, the workers nominated me as a member.
from the Uganda Argus
Too outspoken
“But here I made a mistake. At the first meeting I was a bit too outspoken for the D.C. and we never held another meeting. I thought the wage of 20/- a month were too low and thought I would put their case. But I spoiled it for them”.
By the time Mowlems moved to Jinja Water Works, Milton Obote had been put in charge of all the paperwork, including finance. When Mowlems moved into Kenya to build a reservoir at Kabete, they took Mr. Obote with them. He became active in the K.A.U., but when the Mau Mau emergency was declared in 1952, the party was proscribed and the leaders arrested. And the Prime Minister told me the now famous story of how at Kabete he nearly lost his life at the hands of the Mau Mau. “I was in charge of large stores and used to receive large consignments of cement” he reminisced casually. “One day I decided to go with the driver myself to collect the cement. Three Mau Mau came up and offered me money for some of the cement. I told them they could not have any, so they immediately drew a pistol, said they would kill me and take the cement anyway”.
Mau Mau beaten
The lorry driver was a local man who, Mr. Obote thinks, had been supplying the Mau Mau with materials, and who had no intention of getting involved. And there was no one else near to help him. But the Prime Minister told me he was not scared. “I had no intention of letting them take the cement, because I did not think anyone would believe me, that the men had taken it by force”, he said. “I thought it was better for them to shoot me than for me to be accused of dishonesty.” But his quick brain came to his rescue. “I told them I was a member of K.A.U and produced my membership card. I also said I was a member of Uganda National Congress and if they shot me, they would destroy the link between Uganda nationalism and Kenya nationalism.” It worked and the Mau Mau went away leaving Mr. Obote alive – and still with his cement intact.
Mr. Obote moved next with Mowlems to the Kinango where he was very interested to see the European farms. But here too he was surrounded by Mau Mau in the forest, and the camp lived in constant fear of attack. And at this time Mr. Obote did the Kenya Africans a big service when he caused the oil companies to change their ideas about employing Africans. “An advertisement for an Asian clerk appeared in the “East African Standard” and I wrote a letter to the “Standard” saying the companies were wrong to advertise for only Asian clerks. The oil company wrote back to me saying that there were not enough Africans to do the job of clerk. I replied that the advert specifically stated “Asian” and there was then apparently an exchange of views between the oil companies, because they said they would employ Africans of good education.” Mr. Obote chuckled and added: “I took the chance and when Standard Vacuum (now Esso) wanted Africans, I got a job with them. I think that was in 1955 and I worked for two years in the supply department.”
Installation at Bugembe. The new Kyabazinga of Busoga, Mr. W.W.K. Nadiope (left) with the Prime Minister, Mr. Milton Obote, The Kenya Minister of State, Mr. Jomo Kenyatta and Mr. Peter Koinange, secretary general of Pafmeca at the installation of the Kyabazimnga at Bugembe, near Jinja.
from the Uganda Argus
At this time no political parties were allowed in Kenya, so social clubs were organised in all the Nairobi centres and Mr. Obote, who had met and become friendly with Jomo Kenyatta through K.A.U., became chairman of one of them. He laughed again as he remembered: “My club followed a policy of inviting European politicians to speak at the club. By doing this we were looked upon by the Government as a responsible club – and at the same time we talked a lot of politics.”
But in their enthusiasm, Mr. Obote and his club ran into trouble at one time. They had formed the African District Congress and the president, Mr. Argwings Kodhek, made a speech advocating Africa for the Africans. “I was chairman at the meeting” said Mr. Obote, “and I said that if Uganda attained independence first, it would come to the rescue of Kenya. My speech was published in the Press. I was called before the registrar of societies to explain it. He decided not to withdraw our register”.
Mr. Obote joined with others to publish their own newspaper and he became one of its columnists.
Then he helped form the branch of the Capricorn Africa Society with Mr. Kodhek as president. But, after a split, Mr. Obote became acting president and supported Tom Mboya in the Nairobi elections against Kodhek. Tom Mboya was elected. “I now decided I had enough experience of trade unions and politics to come back and try my hand in Uganda. I had achieved my aim of going to Kenya to learn political organising and I had deliberately been away from my family to devote a lot of my time to reading.”
Milton Obote returned to Uganda in 1957 and was very soon nominated by Lango District Council as Lango’s representative in the Legislative Council. He had begun his climb to the top of the political mountain and to his post as the most important citizen of Uganda.
The first elections to Legislative Council in Uganda were held in October 1958 and Apolo Milton Obote was the first of 45 candidates named for the 10 elected seats to be published in a list in the “Uganda Argus”. Standing as a candidate of the Uganda National Congress, led by Mr. Joseph Kiwanuka, Mr. Obote took a hand as his symbol to vie with three other candidates for the Lango seat. In his manifest he said he was standing as a U.N.C. candidate “on its dynamic self-government now.”
And he came out then with a policy that he still advocates now – “waging war against ignorance and disease”, although he added then “and against inefficient producers of wealth”. The U.N.C. won five of the ten seats and Milton Obote, in the only district where all four main parties had a candidate, polled 40,081 votes to the next candidate’s 7,863 – the second highest majority in the country and the highest percentage of the votes.
Pelted with eggs
Officers of the party at that time were: Chairman, Mr. Joseph Kiwankuka, president, Mr. I.K. Musazi and deputy president, Mr. Milton Obote.
But first came a split between Mr. Musazi and Mr. Kiwankuka, when Mr. Musazi accused Mr. Kiwanuka of being a Communist. Young members of the U.N.C. went along to a meeting held by Mr. Musazi at the Tree of Liberty near Kampala bus park, pelted him with eggs and when his loudspeaker broke down, took over the meeting with their own loudspeaker.
Milton Obote became the new president, but then split with Mr. Kiwanuka over funds given to Mr. Kiwanuka by China for the U.N.C.
Together with Mr. George Magezi, Mr. William Nadiope and other Legislative Councillors, Mr. Obote formed a new party – the Uganda People’s Congress, with himself as the first and so it has transpired, only president general.
Well in front
A boycott by Buganda of the general elections of 1960 gave the D.P. victory – but the Leader of the Opposition was a young and promising politician named Milton Obote.
And the general election of April this year, with no boycotts left the U.P.C. well in front.
Now Mr. Obote sees his party firmly wedded to Kabaka Yekka and says they have at least five years to work together in putting independent Uganda well on the road to prosperity.
“I see the U.P.C. becoming a very powerful political organisation outside Buganda. I would not like to encourage the U.P.C. to do the same thing in Buganda, and I would like to see the U.P.C. and the K.Y. come together as did the Tories and the Unionists in the United Kingdom”.
Mechanisation
Mr. Obote sees the need for a responsible opposition to the Government and recalled: “Some of my happiest days in politics have been spent in Opposition.”
I asked him what he thought of the economic future of Uganda.
“The key to the economic future is that we should maintain a stable country”, he replied. “That is fundamental. After that we need to workout schemes that we can sell to private enterprise. I am determined that the country shall remain stable and people can confidently invest their money in Uganda. I would like to see Uganda farmers changing from the hoe to better implements and using more mechanisation. I have been talking to the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives (Mr. M.M. Ngobi) on modern agricultural implements being provided for the next cotton season.”
Eat more meat
“I want farmers to be encouraged to use this equipment on payment of a small fee or on short credit terms – where they pay for the service when they sell the crops – and the Minister is now working on this. He is also working on a scheme to improve the production of food crops. I also want to see a revolution in animal industry, which I think has a great potential. I want people to drink more milk and eat more meat and the Minister of Animal Industry (Mr. John Babiiha) is working on a scheme to attract foreign capital”.
When we discussed the position of non-Africans in independent Uganda, Mr. Obote told me: “I am not colour minded. I don’t care about colour and I am pretty certain the K.Y. has the same beliefs as ourselves.”
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Traditional Marriages: Ankole Style
..among the Bahima (section of the Banyankole) girls who were about the age of marriage were forced to feed on milk until they were very heavy. “They could barely walk,” an Ankole elder once joked during an introduction ceremony.
One of the few remaining spectacular cultural things to talk about the Banyankole of South-Western Uganda is their culture-rich marriage ceremony of the once very prestigious lake kingdoms of the present day Great Lakes Region.
Because of influence from other cultures and lack of a cultural institution to ensure continuity of the culture following the abolishment of the Ankole monarchy in 1966 by the then Uganda Prime Minister Apollo Milton Obote, other cultures died out.
The traditional marriage has despite this influence survived the test of time. Although a few things could have changed because of religion and modernity, many Banyankole still embrace their traditional marriages because the elders still emphasize and control cultural marriage.
Indeed, many people intending to marry usually go for consultations from elders. So, what are the key spectacular elements of the Ankole marriage?
Marriage Arrangements:
The common thread in the Ankole marriage like many African traditional marriages is to create closeness to the bridal family. This is done through a third party called the Kateraruume (literally meaning somebody who will remove the dew from the path).
Even today when couples go for the official introduction and marriage after they have been co-habiting, this go between is key in initiating the marriage negotiations.
The Kateraruume is a highly respected person representing the groom’s interests and is charged with facing the bride’s family and ensuring that the bride’s family is willing to accept the groom’s family to formally discuss the marriage.
In case the proposal is endorsed, the man’s family approaches the girl’s family with the Kateraruume leading them there. At the home of the bride’s family, the go-between knocks at the gate and is invited in with the groom entourage after some teasing. The entourage usually comes with beer.
The Kateraruume then indicates to the girl’s marriage panel that he is on a marriage mission. The go-between then explains his mission and is asked many questions by the girl’s family. Later, they discuss the marriage payments, which can be picked anytime after the two families have agreed, sometimes on that same day.
This is followed by preparations for marriage. In Ankole tradition, the marriage payment included cattle, which may go to over 10. These gifts are presented to the bride’s family symbolizing the ability of the groom to take care of his woman.
The bride and groom to be:
During this ceremony, the bride and the groom are not party to the discussions. The bride is usually hidden while the groom has to keep quiet throughout the discussions and wait for the outcome. In this case however, the groom-to-be is ‘king’ because everything is done on his behalf.
In traditional Ankole society, a man marries a woman. A woman never marries a man. It is taboo if a woman seeks out a man’s hand in marriage. Also, it is the man who chooses not the woman. Therefore the woman has to be ‘marry-able’.
Unlike today where men treasure small sized women for marriage (I hope you have heard of words like portables and songs like obukazi obutono bulimu ekyama– “those small women last longer” or literally “those small women have years in them”), in the Ankole tradition, slim girls were unfit for marriage.
That is why among the Bahima (section of the Banyankole) girls who were about the age of marriage were forced to feed on milk until they were very heavy. “They could barely walk,” an Ankole elder once joked during an introduction ceremony.
The Give Away (Okuhingira)
Unlike today where the men feel cheated by paying bride price, in the typical Ankole tradition, a groom gains from the marriage.
Actually, the gifts (the emihingiro) that the bride comes with sometimes are more than those paid by the groom as bride price. For example, among the Bahima-Banyankole, the aunties and uncles give cows to the bride during the kuhingira.
Younger girls and boys called the enshagarizi then escort the bride to the groom’s place after the blessings from the elders. Today, the groom’s side has to organise the transport for these people because they are very important for any marriage ceremony in Ankole. Going back is not necessarily the role of the bridegroom.
After the kuhingira, the bride’s side is still is control though. The bride according to the culture is not supposed to do any work until the cultural initiation. This is done after about ten days from the giveaway day.
During this initiation, the bride is made to light fire in the kitchen in the tradition called okukoza omumuriro (helping the bride to start toughing fire).
Because of modernity however, some brides have left the bridal room (orusika) the day after marriage to continue looking for a living in the competitive world where every minute lost contributes a lot to poverty in the homes.
So, many people in Uganda may find it hard to understand the Ankole culture and language but many know the words okwanjura, okushwera and okuhingira irrespective of the language they speak.
The Abduction of Dr. James Makumbi
On this day, the 5th of April, in the year 1995, the nation of Uganda stood in collective shock and relief as Dr. James Makumbi, the then Minister of Health, emerged from the grips of a five-day abduction by the Federal Democratic Alliance Forces, a rebel faction led by the enigmatic soldier, Maj. Hebert Itongwa Kikomeko Ssedyabane. The events that unfolded during those dark days in April left an indelible mark on the nation’s history, unraveling a tale of terror, resilience, and political intrigue.
Dr. Makumbi’s abduction sent shockwaves through the corridors of power and echoed across the country, as citizens grappled with the brazen audacity of rebels targeting a high-ranking government official. Alongside him were his colleagues, Dr. Margret Nakafero Mugerwa, and Steven Kayiwa, then a student at Makerere University.
Their abduction, orchestrated by Maj. Itongwa and his cohorts, unfolded on the dusty roads of Magere, along Gayaza road in Wakiso District, a chilling reminder of the precariousness of life amidst the turmoil of rebellion.
As Dr. Makumbi faced his captors, Maj. Itongwa delivered a stark message, a blend of defiance and desperation. He implored Dr. Makumbi to convey to President Museveni the grievances that fueled their insurgency. It was a plea born out of frustration, a cry for attention to the plight of the federal leadership and the dismal working conditions endured by army officers.
In the midst of chaos, Maj. Itongwa sought to amplify their voices through the medium of Dr. Makumbi, leveraging his position to relay their demands to the highest echelons of power.
The aftermath of Dr. Makumbi’s release saw the wheels of justice set in motion, as the courts embarked on the arduous task of prosecuting the seven men implicated in collaborating with Maj. Itongwa and accused of treasonous crimes. It was a trial that captivated the nation, a testament to the resilience of the rule of law in the face of insurgency and rebellion
Yet, amidst the courtroom drama and political maneuvering, the scars of those five days lingered, etched into the memory of Dr. Makumbi and the nation at large. His ordeal served as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the ever-present threat of conflict lurking on the fringes of society.
As we reflect on this pivotal moment in Uganda’s history, let us not forget the bravery of Dr. William Makumbi, who emerged from the shadows of abduction with fortitude and resolve. Let us heed the lessons of the past, striving for a future where the echoes of rebellion are but a distant memory, and peace reigns supreme across our land.
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Meet Ugandan Herbalist Victor Kiwalabye
Herbalist Victor Kiwalabye claims to cure different diseases from his clinic in Kireka including the cancer, Hepatitis B, epilepsy and many more using herbs he gets from the forests of Mabira, Imaramagambo and other areas like the Rwenzori mountains, Kotido, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa with the help National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). He says NARO has given him transport support to get herbs outside Uganda.
Unlike other herbalists, Kiwalabye cannot treat a patient without medical results showing the kind of disease one is suffering from. “I cannot treat patients who have not been tested and diagnosed in hospitals because I first want to know the type of disease I am dealing with,” he told us.
His strong curing herbs have attracted many researchers from within and outside Uganda. “Students from Makerere University are always here at my Kireka clinic carrying out their researches. And also I work with the botany department of Makerere University,” he says.
In his office, which is full of sacks of herbs, Kiwalabye pauses in photos with Doctor Samuel Dishe who works with the World Bank and Doctor Joseph Green an American doctor researcher on HIV/AIDS in Africa who have carried out research on his herbs.
Kiwalabye says these officials have been wooing him to go and work in America and be given US citizenship but he has refused, fearing they would use his medicine to make money and also snatch ownership of his medicine.
“Why should they take me away from home?” the bearded Kiwalabye asks jokingly.
After all there is not much to regret staying and working at home in Uganda. He is becoming more popular daily and now treats over 30 new patients, that is excluding the old ones who come daily to collect medicine from different parts of the country.
A boy we found at Kiwalabye ‘clinic’ on Friday December 9th having come to Kiwalabye for rescue from the visible disease.
Kiwalabye says there are many diseases, which medical doctors cannot treat but for him he treats them and that patients have tested negative after his treatments.
One of the former patients is Edison Mukimbiri. Edison says he first suffered abdominal pains before his eyes turned yellow and he started passing orange urine.
He went to Mengo hospital and carried out a medical check up and the doctor found he was suffering from Hepatitis B, a liver disease. “The doctors told me the disease had no cure and that he should avoid sweet and fattening foods. They (doctors) told me not to eat salt, meat and avoid drinking milk,” he says. Mukimbiri says the doctors also advised him to stop smoking and taking alcohol. The doctor also recommended to him that he should start on Anti-Retroviral Drugs in order to boost his body immunity.
Frightened on hearing this, he started thinking he was HIV positive. “I was confused and at first I thought it was AIDS but later I realized I had carried out all the tests,” he said. Another medical check up at Mulago hospital produced the same results.
Thanks to Sam Kamurinde, his friend who told him about the herbalist in Kireka who cures such different diseases, Mukimbiri says he no longer suffers from the disease.
Mukimbiri immediately went there and Kiwalabye first took his photos with his orange eyes. “When you reach there, he takes your photo in order to easily monitor changes as you get cured,” Mukimbiri says. Kiwalabye has albums of photographs of people who have recovered completely from the different diseases as evidence of his success in medicine.
Mukimbiri says he was given two types of medicine. One was a five-liter jerry can, which he used as water to cook food instead of the usual water and the other he would take a ½ liter cup early in the morning and another in the evening. Mukimbiri took the medicine for two weeks and his eyes and urine cleared but he continued with the medication for two months when he got cured completely.
To confirm his recovery he went back to the same doctor in Mengo hospital and carried out the medical tests and the results were normal but the doctor could not believe and said she had made a mistake during the tests. Mukimbiri never told the doctor that he used herbal medicine. This is one of the many patients who have got healing from Kiwalabye.
Kiwalabye has realized that many patients do not want to be known that they go to his place to get medicine. He says people do not want to be associated with traditional herbal medicine and some come hiding when they come to collect the medicine.
He says for traditional medicine to be known internationally, Africans must feel free with it and urges Ugandans to be proud of their own medicine. “You see many of our people do not want to be identified with their own things and it is a very big problem for us because we shall not develop with such a fearful attitude,” he says
At the time when we visited Kiwalabye’s clinic, there were two catholic nuns who had come to collect medicine but declined to reveal their names.
One said that she brought a kid who had a brain tumor and could not speak or blink but he was put on Kiwalabye’s herbal medicine and is now speaking.
Kiwalabye has a heap of books in his office with testimonies of people who have recovered from his medicine. In one of the books, there is a testimony of an Italian nun who was suffering diabetes and got healed after taking 10 liters of Kiwalabye’s herbal medicine.
Kiwalabye also claims to treat lymphoma (throat), Osteoporosis (borne), Carcinoma (vaginal) and Eczema cancer. The ‘doctor’ like many patients call him also treats kidney, Asthma, skin rashes and Sinuses.
He uses plant roots, leaves and tree peelings to treat the diseases but he refused to reveal the names and types of the trees he uses to treat his patients.
He says he is limited by problems of finances for transport and space but hopes to construct a hospital where he can admit people.
He says it is expensive to transport medicine from different parts of the country and appeals to government to provide him with a vehicle. “Identify with us as herbalists and lets promote our own medicine which is very strong to even illnesses like cancer,” Kiwalabye says.
Obote: The Premier’s Own Story
The Premier’s Own Story – as told to “Argus” Reporter John South
The European secretary came into the small office at 3 p.m. carrying a tray on which was a pot of tea and three cakes. “This is my breakfast, lunch and possibly my dinner”, said the Prime Minister as he ate the three cakes.
For 37-year-old Apolo Milton Obote, Prime Minister of Independent Uganda, is a man who does not believe in sparing himself, and such trivial things as eating go by the board with Mr. Obote when there is work to be done. He frequently comes into his office in the morning, and works through, without bothering with food, until his work is done.
MAKERERE STUDENT
And National Assembly secretaries will tell how they have worked with him until the small hours of the morning when the rush is really on.
This is typical of Mr. Obote and is only one of the many facets of the man who is now the Prime Minister of Uganda.
The man who is known as plain “Milton Obote” by all his followers was born the son of a chief, went to Makerere College in Kampala – and then took a job as a labourer in order to gain trade union experience.
He has been speared in the back, clubbed by a thief, and has faced unarmed three Mau Mau intending to shoot him, two snakes and a leopard.
Milton Obote is one African politician who does not need to wear a funny hat or wave a flywhisk to make himself noticed – he relies on his speeches. True, he never goes far without his hefty walking stick, and he uses a cigarette holder when he smokes. But these are more practical than a fad with a man who, at the moment, is not enjoying the best of health.
The Prime Minister of Uganda, Mr. Milton Obote, presenting the Uganda flag to the captain of Uganda’s Commonwealth Games team Lawrence Ogwang at the boxing at Nakivubo on Friday night, October 5th, 1962 “London v. Uganda at Nakivubo Stadium. During the interval the Prime Minister presented the flag to the Uganda team, which is to take part in the VIIth Commonwealth Games at Perth, Australia in Nov.
from the Uganda Argus
Walking stick
Every day that the National Assembly sits, the doorman’s office is now filled with walking sticks – deposited with him by National Assembly members.
And it is not uncommon to see a labourer in bare feet, and perhaps with a ragged shirt, proudly carrying a walking stick.
And the famous Obote walking stick was placed along the front of the desk as we talked in his small office in the National Assembly building. The office was used by Mr. Obote when he was Leader of the Opposition before the U.P.C.-K.Y. swept the power in the last elections.
A much more sumptuous Prime Minister’s office was up on the next floor. But it was typical of Mr. Obote, that, when he became Prime Minister, he decided he had become so used to his small office that he would keep it.
So now the Prime Minister receives visitors in his small office, while the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Basil Bataringaya, receives his visitors in style upstairs.
Mr. Obote paces up and down energetically as he talks to you in his deep and authoritative voice.
Nine children
Born in 1925 – he doesn’t know the date – in Akokoro, a little village in Maruzi County, Lango – he is the third of nine children of Stanley Opeto, a Lango chief, and his wife Pulisikira.
“I think I was my father’s favourite, and he didn’t want me to go to school, but wanted me to stay home with him”, he said. “I stayed at home while my younger brothers went to school”.
When his father was transferred about 33 miles from his home, some of the family went with him and some stayed at home and young Milton went to stay with his maternal grandfather.
“I used to look after my grandfather’s goats”, recalled the Prime Minister. “Crowds of us boys would take the goats to a small hollow where they would graze. We would carry spears with us and, before we got to the hollow, would throw spears into it, hoping to hit one of the birds that used to settle there.
One morning I went out early, and, being quite skilful at throwing a spear, I managed to kill a bird in the hollow.
“Then I decided that a better way to catch the birds would be by setting snares. I was bending down in the hollow, setting some snares, when another boy arrived. He did not know I was in the hollow, and he threw his spear down into it. It went into my back. It was a deep wound and I had to be carried by foot 50 miles in a snare net to hospital at Aduku. I was in hospital five or six months.”
When he came out of hospital he started his first schooling – at a catechist class. But young Obote was to go through more narrow escapes before he began his serious education.
“One evening I was standing with my sister in the doorway of our house”, he recalled. “I felt something like water pouring onto my< head and shoulders. It was dark and I could not see what it was. But when I went inside, my neck and shoulders began to irritate and I started scratching myself. My father noticed this and, when he had a look at my shoulders, he saw they were all white. He said it was a snake which had been over my head and had been squirting its poison down on to me. I was too small for it to reach down to me, but if I had looked up the poison would have blinded me. “My father went out and killed the snake”.
Milton Obote was not much older when he was walking alone along a track at dusk – and found a leopard in his path. “We just stood looking at each other”, he said. “I thought that if I tried to run, the leopard would jump on me, so I just stood still and hoped it would think I was a tree or something. I knew that a little while before a girl had been killed by a crocodile and her family said, if she had kept still it would have released her. “As I stood there someone else came along the path and to my relief, the leopard disappeared into the grass”.
Saved
As Mr. Obote recounted this incident, it reminded him of another lucky escape before he was even big enough to carry a spear. “I saw a small animal in the cotton field near our house, and as I was too small to throw a spear, I took a knife from the house to throw at the animal. I started to crawl towards the animal and as I was about 10 yards from it, I saw something else – a python very near me. I knew I could not run, because it could move too swiftly for me. But fortunately the python too had seen the small animal, which had its back to us. I lay and watched as it wriggled to slowly, so slowly up to that little animal – and wound itself round it. I ran towards home and the cries of the animal brought people running to the field. They found the snake, which had by then killed the animal, and they killed the snake. But I am positive that little animal saved my life.
Only a few years later young Obote was clubbed by a thief. “We were having a lot of trouble with thieves in the cassava fields, and so organised night patrols to keep them out.
Never behind
-“One night, we surprised some thieves in a field, and as one of them ran towards me, I tried to catch him. Of course he was much bigger than me and he promptly knocked me unconscious with his stick.”
So it was back to hospital again for a short time. His education started at Ebuye Primary School, Lira, and went on to Gulu High School. “From Primary I to Primary 6 I was never behind anyone in examinations”, he told me. “In my last exam in Primary 6 I was second by two marks, and it disappointed me terribly. I was always top through Junior Secondary.” Then the young scholar went on to Busoga College at Mwiri, near Jinja. “I was never on top in the first year, but I was in the first four. The second year I think I was second, and in the third year, always first or second”. Came the time to leave school and young Obote wanted to go to South Africa to study agriculture. His parents had other ideas and he sat the entrance exam to Makerere College. Two out of 18 boys from Mwiri passed for Makerere – and one of them was Milton Obote. In 1948 he began to study English, political science, economics and geography. “I was not happy at Makerere and I left after two years, before completing my course,” he recounted.
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Uganda’s Inspectors General of Police
Uganda has been served by several Inspectors-General and Commissioners of Police. Here is a list of Inspector Generals of Police since the country attained its independence in October 1962.
Michael J. Macoun, 1959-1964
Lt. Col. Wilson Erinayo Oryema, 1964-1971
Benjamin Othieno, 1971-1974
Luke Ofungi, 1974-1975
Kassim Musa Obura, 1975-1977
Odria, 1977-1979
David Nsubuga Barlow, 1979
William Musoke, 1979-1980
Boniface Aaron Okoth-Ogola, 1980-1985
Luke Ofungi, 1985-1990
David Psomgen, 1990
Apollo Byekwaso, 1990-1992
John Cossey Odomel, 1992-1999
John Kisembo, 1999-2000
Lieutenant-General Edward Katumba Wamala, 2000-2005
Major-General Edward Kale Kayihura, 2005-2018
Martin Okoth Ochola, March 2018 to March 2024
Geoffrey Katsigazi Tumusiime, March 2024 to date
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Sir Edward Muteesa II’s Speech on Independence Day – 9th Oct 1962
Sir. Edward Fredrick Luwangula Muteesa II is the first president of Uganda. He was also the Kabaka of Buganda Kingdom, the largest ethnic group in Uganda. Here is his first speech as the president of Uganda.
Ever wondered how the founder of Modern day Uganda was/has been honored and
commemorated? Well, well, thanks to Buganda Archives, the writing is on the wall. We commemorate the Founder of modern day Uganda every year since 9th
October 1962. Enjoy the history
*Sir Edward Muteesa II Independence Day Speech at Kololo*
*Fellow Countrymen,*
*It shall go down in history, that, it was on the 9th October, 1884, when Ssekabaka Walugembe Muteesa I, the founder of Modern Day Uganda, breathed his last. Ssekabaka Muteesa I was buried in his palace at Nnabulagala, Kasubi on 25th October, 1884.*
* *
*Therefore, I feel both honoured and humbled, to be named after my great grandfather Ssekabaka Walugembe Muteesa, and also because I have lived till this day when the British have relinquished power into our hands, after being under their protection for a period of 68 years.*
* *
*During that period, we have experienced moments of sadness. However, there have also been moments of joy. Nevertheless, we thank the good Lord for His grace, love and, all the efforts made by the Missionaries to develop our nation and country, Uganda.*
* *
*Now, that we are independent, I appeal to you all to work with all your might in whatever you shall do, so as to bring glory to both our kingdoms and the State of Uganda. Let us not allow our differences in nations, religion and colour to be a divisive factor among our people.*
* *
*God Bless Uganda,*
* *
*Sir Col. Edward Muteesa II *
* *
*Kabaka*
* *
*9th October 1962***
Courtesy of Nviiri
Read MoreList of Uganda’s Attorney Generals
The attorney general of Uganda is the principal legal advisor of Uganda’s government. The office of the attorney general is a cabinet level position. Here is the list of the different attorney generals that have served Uganda since independence.
P.J. Wilkinson, 1954-1961
C.G.F.F Dreschfield, 1961-1962
Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, 1962-1967
Lameck Lubowa, 1967-1971
P.J. Nkambo Mugerwa, 1971-1974
Godfrey S. Lule, 1974-1977
Matthew B. Matovu, 1977-1979
Dani Nabudere Wadada, 1979
George W. Kanyeihamba, 1979-1980
Stephen Omoding Ariko, 1980-1985
Samuel K. Kutesa, 1985-1986
Joseph N. Mulenga, 1986-1988
George W. Kanyeihamba, 1988-1991
Abubakar Kakyama Mayanja, 1991-1994
Joseph Kalias Ekemu, 1994-1996
Bert Magunda Katureebe, 1996-2000
Francis Joash Ayume, 2000-2004
John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, 2004-2005
Edward Khiddu Makubuya, 2005-
What is the Easiest Car to Maintain in Uganda?
4×4 Toyota Rav4 is the easiest rental car to maintain in Uganda. Toyota Rav4 is among the best Toyota models available for hire. Premio car is also popular for its easy maintenance. Compared to most cars, at least Toyota Rav4 and Premio rental cars have spare parts available and also mechanics with vast knowledge with such models.
When choosing the rental car in Uganda for your road trip, it is always important to put into consideration the ease to find the spare parts, especially when you encounter breakdown en-route to your destination. Hiring a car that is easy to maintain is essential, especially on self-drive tour. It can save you from getting stuck.
Toyota Rav4
Toyota Rav4 is not only the easiest car to maintain in Uganda, but also the best alternative for visitors with plans to go on a self-drive rental. The maintenance costs for Toyota Rav4 car rentals are low compared to luxurious vehicles. It costs less to maintain a 4×4 Toyota Rav4 for over 10 years than any average SUV. This makes it the most favorite options not only for travelers but also car hire service providers. Toyota Rav4 rentals provide value-packed experiences.
Toyota Rav4 are compact and come with diverse features. 4×4 Toyota Rav4 features include FM radio, luxurious interior for guests to freely stretch their legs and also to pack their luggage safely. Hiring a 4×4 Toyota Rav4 presents you enormous benefits including unlimited mileage, road assistance, ultimate comfort, eco-friendly, cost effective and many others.
The technical specifications of Toyota Rav4 cars include automatic transmission, capacity of 4-5 pax, powerful engine of 2.0cc, and fuel consumption rate of 8.2 L/100km.
Why rent a 4×4 Toyota Rav4 in Uganda
Enjoy unlimited mileage: A road trip in Toyota Rav4 provides visitors ultimate freedom to explore the wonders of Uganda less of restrictions. With unlimited mileage, you can travel to any part of the country.
Fuel economy: Toyota Rav4 rentals are popular fuel economy vehicles among the Toyota models. With the less fuel consumption, you can spend less.
Cost effective: Toyota Rav4 cars are among the cost-effective model unlike most SUV options such as Land Cruisers, or Prado TX.
Comprehensive Insurance: Toyota Rav4 like most of our rental cars are comprehensively insured. This guarantees you peace of mind as most of the expenses are covered in the comprehensive insurance package.
Versatility: The Rav4 rental cars are full time 4×4 wheel drive vehicles. This makes them the best choice for off-road trip or getting around tough terrain destinations. This is especially if you have plans to travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking. These iconic primate parks are situated in the far Southwestern Uganda, hillside of the country.
Eco-friendly: Toyota Rav4 are known to have low fuel consumption as well as minimal emissions. This makes them environmentally friendly.
Toyota Premio
Toyota Premio is another easiest car to maintain in Uganda. Premio cars are known for their lower maintenance cost and generally, they are reliable in a long run. It comes with multiple specifications including engine displacement 1496cc, 4 cylinders, manual transmission, and fuel type is petrol. Premio rental cars are also FWD vehicles, with horsepower as well as 4 speed automatic transmission.
Toyota Premio come in a unique style and offers ultimate comfort. When it comes to maintenance costs, reliability and fuel economy; the Toyota Premio rental cars are notably the most balanced option.
Benefits of hiring Toyota Premio
Luxurious interior: Premio rental cars are spacious with adequate room available for visitors to put their luggage.
Smoother engine: Toyota Premio cars have smoother engines which make them comfortable rental options. They are built with highest quality tech with noise, vibration and harshness all contained.
Stability: Premio cars boast of their highest level of stability even at high speeds. It is possible to comfortably negotiate a corner at 80 km per hour. Even if you plan to go off-the road, Premio vehicles are the best.
Fuel efficiency: Toyota Premio cars feature 2000cc engine and they are fuel efficient even if you plan to drive along the highway or urban traffic.
Reliability: Toyota Premio car rentals are among the very few most reliable rental cars. They are ideal for urban road trips.
Affordability: It is possible to find a comfortable Toyota Premio rental at the most affordable rate. They are the cheapest rental car options among most car hire service providers or companies in Uganda.
Toyota Rav4 like premio rental cars can be hired in Uganda with a driver or you can rent it for self-drive. Talk to our expert to have your rental car booked in advance for your road trip in Uganda.
How many days should you a Toyota Rav4 or Premio?
Toyota RAV4 rental cars are available for hire at any time and visitors are not restricted on how many days they want to use it. You can hire a RAV4 car for short road trips that is from 1 day to 4 days or even 10 days plus. Toyota RAV4 rentals are suitable for park safaris, leisure vacation, business trips and more.
How to get the easiest car to maintain in Uganda?
Wondering how you can get the easiest car to maintain in Uganda? The simplest way to rent a car that is easy to maintain on Uganda safari is by booking your car with a reliable car hire service provider or company.
Consider hiring a car outside the airport. Many car hire options are available in most car hire companies outside the airport for instance Entebbe city, Kampala capital, Jinja and others.
Book your car in advance; finding the easiest car to maintain can be challenging and you can be on a safer side if you booked your ride earlier before the actual visit to Uganda.
Specify the kind of the car you want to use. If your target is to drive the easiest car that is easy to maintain, or you want to cut down on maintenance cost for car hire, then disclose to your car rental company about your desires.
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