UGANDA

COMPENDIUM OF CONFLICTS IN UGANDA
Kabaka Yekka went on to sign an alliance with the UPC based on an acceptance of
Buganda semi-autonomy and special status within the state of Uganda. This agreement
permitted the Kabaka to appoint Buganda’s representatives to Parliament, which would
undermine the DP’s political power in Buganda. The UPC-Kabaka Yekka alliance also
provided for the Kabaka to become the ceremonial head of state of Uganda. This alliance
led to the defeat of the DP interim administration in April 1962. The UPC-KY alliance
formed the government to which Independence was granted on October 9 th , 1962. It was
this alliance that sowed the seeds for various conflicts in post-Independence Uganda.
113. Kabaka Crisis of 1966
The loss of Buyaga and Bugangaizi
counties to Bunyoro after the 1964
referendum had intensified suspicion
of the Central Government by the
Baganda. Further, the Baganda were
bitter over what they considered a
broken UPC/KY alliance. In May 1966,
the Buganda Parliament passed a
resolution stating that the incorporation
of Buganda into Uganda (which resulted
from a constitutional amendment that
repealed Buganda’s semi-autonomous
status within the Uganda’s federalist
political structure) was a violation of the
country’s Constitution. This prompted
a directive by Prime Minister Obote
to General Idi Amin, to attack Kabaka
Mutesa II’s palace in Mengo, a suburb
of Kampala. The troops were allegedly
ordered to go to Mengo Palace to search
for a cache of arms allegedly hidden
in the palace. It is noted that Obote
distrusted the Buganda Kingdom, which
he viewed as a hindrance to democratic
nationalism and nation building. 469
The resultant battle of Mengo on May
22, 1966 between the national troops
and the Kabaka’s guards, was thus
underpinned by multiple tensions.
Participants suggested that the
fact that Uganda’s major kingdoms
were primarily located in the South
represented a Bantu-Nilotic polarisation
that later played a key role in the
469 Mulira, P. (2006) Four factors led to the 1966 Buganda Crisis. New Vision [Internet] 23 October. Available
from: [Accessed 28 January 2012]
218