Brief History of Uganda

About 500 B.C. Bantu-speaking peoples migrated to the area now called Uganda. By the 14th century, three kingdoms dominated, Buganda (meaning “state of the Gandas”), Bunyoro, and Ankole. Uganda was first explored by Europeans as well as Arab traders in 1844. An Anglo-German agreement of 1890 declared it to be in the British sphere of influence in Africa, and the Imperial British East Africa Company was chartered to develop the area. The company did not prosper financially, and in 1894 a British protectorate was proclaimed. Few Europeans permanently settled in Uganda, but it attracted many Indians, who became important players in Ugandan commerce.

Uganda became independent on Oct. 9, 1962. Sir Edward Mutesa, the king of Buganda (Mutesa II), was elected the first president, and Milton Obote the first prime minister, of the newly independent country. With the help of a young army officer, Col. Idi Amin, Prime Minister Obote seized control of the government from President Mutesa four years later.

On Jan. 25, 1971, whilst the President was abroad on state business the army chief of staff Colonel Idi Amin staged a coup and deposed President Obote. Obote went into exile in Tanzania. Under Amin's dictatorship the economy collapsed, industrial activity ground to a halt, hospitals and rural health clinics closed, utilities and infrastructure fell apart. Amin expelled Asian residents and launched a reign of terror against Ugandan opponents, torturing and killing tens of thousands. In 1976, he had himself proclaimed “President for Life.” Faced with this chaos Amin was increasingly forced to delegate power to the provincial governors who became virtual warlords in their area. Despite financial aid and weapons from Libya to assist the economy and contain the warlords, there was so much unrest within the country that Amin sought a diversion in the form of a war with Tanzania.

In 1978, Tanzania's president, Julius Nyerere led a combined force of Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles loyal to former president Obote against Amin. They pushed Amin's troops out of Tanzania and then continued on to take Kampala and in 1979 chased Amin into exile in Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International estimated that 300,000 may have died and often and in horrific ways under Amin's notorious 8 year reign of terror. The country remained in chaos and after a series of interim administrations, President Obote led his People's Congress Party to victory in 1980, elections that opponents charged were rigged. Five more years of terror and resistance ensued until on July 27, 1985, army troops staged a coup and overthrew the government. Obote fled into exile. The military regime installed Gen. Tito Okello as chief of state.

By this time a guerrilla force called the NRA (National Resistance Army) an anti-Obote group led by Yoweri Museveni, had control of western Uganda and kept fighting after it had been excluded from the new regime. Peace talks failed and fighting continued in earnest until government troops were pushed over the border into Sudan. The NRA seized Kampala on Jan. 29, 1986 and Museveni was declared president. Museveni renamed his party the NRM (National Resistance Movement) and the slow process of rebuilding the country began.

Museveni has transformed the ruins of Idi Amin and Milton Obote's Uganda into an economic miracle, preaching a philosophy of self-sufficiency and anticorruption. Western countries have flocked to assist him in the country's transformation. Nevertheless, it remains one of Africa's poorest countries. A ban on political parties was lifted in 1996, and the incumbent Museveni won 72% of the vote, reflecting his popularity due to the country's economic recovery. However political stability has been undermined by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) in the north and the Interahamwe (the remnants of the Rwandan Hutu Militia responsible for the 1994 genocide). Between 8,000 and 10,000 children have been abducted by the LRA to form the army of “prophet” Joseph Kony, whose aim is to take over Uganda and run it according to his vision of Christianity. The boys are turned into soldiers and the girls into sex slaves. Up to 1.5 million people in northern Uganda have been displaced because of the fighting and the fear that their children will be abducted. Kony and four other LRA leaders are wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Uganda has waged an enormously successful campaign against AIDS, dramatically reducing the rate of new infections through an intensive public health and education campaign. Museveni won re-election in March 2001 with 70% of the vote, following a nasty and spirited campaign. Close ties with Rwanda (many Rwandan Tutsi exiles helped Museveni come to power) led to the cooperation of Uganda and Rwanda in the ousting of Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997, and a year later, in efforts to unseat his successor, Laurent Kabila, whom both countries originally supported but from whom they grew estranged. But in 1999, Uganda and Rwanda quarrelled over strategy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and began fighting each other. The two countries mended their differences in 2002. Uganda also signed a peace accord with the Congo in Sept. 2002 and finally withdrew its remaining troops from the country in May 2003.

In July 2005, parliament amended the constitution to eliminate term limits, thus allowing President Museveni another term in office. In August, a multiparty political system was reinstituted after a 19-year absence. In February 2006 Uganda held its first multi party elections. Although many believe the results to be rigged, Museveni was re-elected for another term with 59% of the vote. In Aug. 2006, Uganda's 18-year-long battle against the brutal LRA, the extremist rebel group based in Sudan, showed signs of abating, when the rebels agreed to declare a truce.

The 45 years since independence have been one of great struggle for the Ugandan people. Scarcely a year has gone by without the significant trials of armed conflict and rules of terror with the inherent economic and social repercussions. Rising from the ashes is a friendly nation committed to building a prosperous Uganda for all.

Promoting the well-being of the poor, destitute and orphaned children of Uganda, regardless of their creed, colour or tribe. This is achieved through the provision of financial assistance and advisory support.

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