Riots in Kampala

Last Thursday the Bagandan Kabaka (King) was stopped from travelling to a local district by the Ugandan government because of safety concerns. News quickly spread across the central regions of Uganda where the Bagandans live and the local people took to the streets in protest which quickly developed into full scale riots which carried on for three days and claimed the lives of approximately 24 people. Things started to calm down on Sunday and we travelled home after being holed up in a hotel for the duration of the problems. A quick insight into the issue.

Uganda is a complex country made up of many different tribes each with their unique history and people. This is illustrated by the fact that there are over 30 different local dialects spoken in the country. Ugandan was drawn up by the Europeans in 1884 when they were carving Africa in chunks for colonial rule. Most of the Europeans had never been to Africa and new nothing of the people and therefore the result was a country of numerous different tribes and races all drawn together in a new country called Uganda. Each tribe had a King who ruled his people and descended from a long line of Kings, the first of whom is believed to have come down from heaven.

When the British came they quickly began to divide and rule by placing the largest tribe, the Bagandans, in a position of authority to help rule over the other tribes. After Ugandan Independence in 1962 the Bagandan political party were first invited into a coalition government by Milton Obote and then pushed out of office in 1966 at which point the Bagandan Kabaka fled to Britain. Obote declared Uganda a republic and it remained so throughout his reign, that of Idi Amen and the return of Obote until the current president, Yusweri Museveni, took power in 1986.

Museveni's NRM (National Resistance Movement) fought a guerilla war against the second spell of Obote in the early 80's from the central regions and thus received support from the Bagandan people and their Kabaka. In return when he had taken power he re-instated the Kings including the Bagandan Kabaka to their kingdoms in 1993 but insisted that they should not get involved in political issues.

Cut to last week and the proposed visit of the the Bagandan Kabaka to Kayunga district, an area historically part of the Bagandan empire. Museveni and his government ruled that the Kabaka could not go because they were concerned about his safety as the district is made up of a variety of tribes and there is some debate over which one has a rightful claim to the land. The Kabaka sent his premier, the Katikkiro to make arrangements for his visit, he was stopped by Police, sent back to Kampala and all hell broke loose.

Demonstrations by the Bagandan people quickly turned in riots and gun battles as the police and army were mobilised on the streets with tear gas and live bullets to quell the unrest. There were reports of the rioters beating security guards and policemen, taking their guns and using them against the police and army. It is alleged that a number of the rioters pro-Bagandan and anti-Museveni TV and radio stations reported the police road block and incited people to violence and these stations were promptly shut down by the government. This led to the worst riots Uganda has seen with many of the people killed were innocent bystanders caught in the cross-fire.

We watched all this unfold from the safety of our hotel room as we were in Kampala for some training. Luckily no-one we know was hurt in the violence including both volunteers and Ugandans. We returned home on the Sunday to find everything back to normal and a sense of calm across Kampala. Things have been fine this week and there is talk of the President and the Kabaka meeting very soon to discuss the riots and how to avoid similar bloodshed in the future. Both sides have to share the blame for the situation but the truth is that the reaction of the people in Kampala took everyone by surprise. Here's hoping it doesn't happen again.