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103-640: The Uganda Law Society ( ULS ) is an association of lawyers charged with ensuring professionalism among lawyers in Uganda . The Mission statement is: To Develop a Skilled and Empowered Legal Profession in Execution of its Statutory Mandate to Foster and Improve Access to and Administration of Justice as well as Good Governance in Uganda. The ULS Vision is: To be a Proficient Bar Association in Fostering Access to Justice,

206-694: A sleeping sickness epidemic in the southern part of Uganda, along the north shores of Lake Victoria, killed more than 250,000 people. World War II encouraged the colonial administration of Uganda to recruit 77,143 soldiers to serve in the King's African Rifles . They were seen in action in the Western Desert campaign , the Abyssinian campaign , the Battle of Madagascar and the Burma campaign . Uganda gained independence from

309-670: A Sunni Islamist group based in Somalia , carried out two nearly simultaneous bombings in Kampala , killing 74 people. After eleven years of relative calm, on 16 November 2021, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group based in eastern Congo with ties to the Islamic State , carried out two suicide bombings near the central police station and parliament, killing three people and injuring 36. The City of Kampala covers

412-600: A degree of self-government that would have otherwise been limited under a full colonial administration. In the 1890s, 32,000 labourers from British India were recruited to East Africa under indentured labour contracts to construct the Uganda Railway . Most of the surviving Indians returned home, but 6,724 decided to remain in East Africa after the line's completion. Subsequently, some became traders and took control of cotton ginning and sartorial retail. From 1900 to 1920,

515-659: A measure ostensibly designed to reduce sectarian violence. In the non-party "Movement" system instituted by Museveni, political parties continued to exist, but they could operate only a headquarters office. They could not open branches, hold rallies, or field candidates directly (although electoral candidates could belong to political parties). A constitutional referendum cancelled this nineteen-year ban on multi-party politics in July 2005. In 1993, Pope John Paul II visited Uganda during his 6-day pastoral trip to urge Ugandans to seek reconciliation. During mass celebrations, he paid homage to

618-498: A new and or different hill as they wished or desired. The first written description of this Kibuga (capital) was by the explorer Sir Richard Burton in his book, The Lake Region of East Africa , published in 1860. In the book, Burton, relying on the information collected by Snay Bin Amir, an Arab trader, described the Kibuga as: …the settlement is not less than a day's journey in length,

721-457: A power struggle between the Obote-led government and King Muteesa, Obote suspended the constitution and removed the ceremonial president and vice-president. In 1967, a new constitution proclaimed Uganda a republic and abolished the traditional kingdoms. Obote was declared the president. After a military coup on 25 January 1971 , Obote was deposed from power and General Idi Amin seized control of

824-466: A problem. Colonial governors had failed to come up with a formula that worked. This was further complicated by Buganda's nonchalant attitude to its relationship with the central government. Buganda never sought independence but rather appeared to be comfortable with a loose arrangement that guaranteed them privileges above the other subjects within the protectorate or a special status when the British left. This

927-665: A show down between Buganda and the Central government. Historians may argue about whether this could have been avoided through compromise. This was unlikely as Obote now felt emboldened and saw the Kabaka as weak. Indeed, by accepting the presidency four years earlier and siding with the UPC, the Kabaka had divided his people and taken the side of one against the other. Within Buganda's political institutions, rivalries driven by religion and personal ambition made

1030-542: A significant conflict with the Buganda kingdom. Idi Amin 's military coup in 1971 led to a brutal regime characterized by mass killings and economic decline, until his overthrow in 1979. Yoweri Museveni 's National Resistance Movement (NRM) took power in 1986 after a six-year guerrilla war . This brought stability and growth, but authoritarian practices and human rights abuses. The abolition of presidential term limits, allegations of electoral fraud and repression, have raised concerns about Uganda's democratic future. Museveni

1133-421: A total area of 189 km (73 square miles), comprising 176 km (68 square miles) of land and 13 km (5.0 square miles) of water. Kampala is a hilly place with its valleys filled with sluggish rivers/ swamps. The highest point in the city proper is the summit of Kololo hill at 1,311 metres (4,301 ft), located in the center of the city and the lowest point at the shores of Lake Victoria south of

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1236-716: A vital sector for the economy. Uganda is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , G77 , the East African Community , and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Much of Uganda was inhabited by Central sudanic - and Kuliak -speaking farmers and herders until 3,000 years ago, when Bantu speakers arrived in the south and Nilotic speakers arrived in the northeast. By 1500 AD, they had all been assimilated into Bantu speaking cultures south of Mount Elgon ,

1339-536: Is between February and June that Kampala sees substantially heavier rainfall per month, with April typically seeing the heaviest amount of precipitation at an average of around 169 millimetres (6.7 in) of rain. Pre-primary education Pre-primary education is offered only by private entities which are located in the various neighbourhoods of Kampala and is lightly regulated by the Ministry of Education and Sports and starts from age of 6 weeks. Education in Kampala city

1442-434: Is diverse, with volcanic hills, mountains, and lakes, including Lake Victoria, the world's second-largest freshwater lake . The country has significant natural resources, including fertile agricultural land and untapped oil reserves , contributing to its economic development. The service sector dominates the economy, surpassing agriculture. Uganda's rich biodiversity, with national parks and wildlife reserves, attracts tourism,

1545-931: Is drained by the Suam River , part of the internal drainage basin of Lake Turkana . The extreme north-eastern part of Uganda drains into the Lotikipi Basin, which is primarily in Kenya. Uganda has 60 protected areas , including ten national parks: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites ), Kibale National Park , Kidepo Valley National Park , Lake Mburo National Park , Mgahinga Gorilla National Park , Mount Elgon National Park , Murchison Falls National Park , Queen Elizabeth National Park , and Semuliki National Park . Kampala Kampala / k ɑː m ˌ p ɑː l ɑː -/ ( UK : / k æ m ˈ p ɑː l ə / , US : / k ɑː m ˈ -/ )

1648-477: Is estimated at 6,709,900 people in 2019 by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics in an area of 8,451.9 km (3,263.3 square miles). Other estimates estimate put the size of the metropolitan area at around four million people. In 2015, this metropolitan area generated an estimated nominal GDP of $ 13.80221 billion (constant US dollars of 2011), which was more than half of Uganda's GDP for that year, indicating

1751-471: Is estimated that up to 2,000 people died in the battle which ended when the army called in heavier guns and overran the palace. The anticipated countryside uprising in Buganda did not materialise and a few hours later a beaming Obote met the press to relish his victory. The Kabaka escaped over the palace walls and was transported into exile in London by supporters. He died there three years later. In 1966, following

1854-536: Is surrounded by extensive marshy areas. Although landlocked, Uganda contains many large lakes. Besides Lakes Victoria and Kyoga, there are Lake Albert , Lake Edward , and the smaller Lake George . It lies almost completely within the Nile basin. The Victoria Nile drains from Lake Victoria into Lake Kyoga and thence into Lake Albert on the Congolese border. It then runs northwards into South Sudan . An area in eastern Uganda

1957-427: Is the capital and largest city of Uganda . The city proper has a population of 1,875,834 (2024) and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala , Kawempe , Makindye , Nakawa , and Rubaga . Kampala's metropolitan area consists of the city proper and the neighboring Wakiso District , Mukono District , Mpigi District , Buikwe District and Luweero District . It has a rapidly growing population that

2060-678: Is up to Ugandans to critically analyse this. The European Union's Election Observation Mission reported on improvements and flaws of the Ugandan electoral process: "The electoral campaign and polling day were conducted in a peaceful manner. However, the electoral process was marred by avoidable administrative and logistical failures that led to an unacceptable number of Ugandan citizens being disfranchised." Since August 2012, hacktivist group Anonymous has threatened Ugandan officials and hacked official government websites over its anti-gay bills. Some international donors have threatened to cut financial aid to

2163-734: The Katikiro (Prime Minister) of Buganda, Stanislaus Mugwanya, the Mulamuzi (Chief Judge) of Buganda, and Zakaria Kisingiri, the Muwanika (Chief Treasurer) of Buganda, with Bishop Alfred Tucker ), signed the Buganda Agreement on behalf of Buganda with Sir Harry Johnston , who signed on behalf of the British government . This agreement with Sir Harry Johnston created new land tenures such as freehold, Crown land, and mailo , and divided up and allocated

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2266-580: The Democratic Party (DP) that had roots in the Catholic Church. The bitterness between these two parties was extremely intense especially as the first elections for the post-Colonial parliament approached. The Kabaka particularly disliked the DP leader, Benedicto Kiwanuka . Outside Buganda, a soft-spoken politician from Northern Uganda, Milton Obote , had forged an alliance of non-Buganda politicians to form

2369-534: The East African Rift and on the northern limits of Tanzania Craton . Kampala has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) under the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system . A facet of Kampala's weather is that it features two annual wetter seasons . While the city does not have a true dry season month, it experiences heavier precipitation from August to December and from February to June. However, it

2472-519: The Empire of Kitara . The arrival of Arab traders in the 1830s and British explorers in the late 19th century, marked the beginning of foreign influence. The British established the Protectorate of Uganda in 1894, incorporating various kingdoms and setting the stage for future political dynamics. Uganda gained independence in 1962, with Milton Obote as the first prime minister. The 1966 Mengo Crisis marked

2575-448: The Kibuga area occupied by the Baganda and other natives. In 1931, the Uganda Railway line reached Kampala, connecting Kampala to Mombasa Port , thirty-five years after the commencement of its construction. In 1938, The East African Power & Lighting Company was granted a licence for thermal electric power generation and distribution for the towns of Kampala and Entebbe , and in

2678-556: The Nile River , and Lake Kyoga . According to oral tradition and archeological studies, the Empire of Kitara covered an important part of the Great Lakes Area , from the northern lakes Albert and Kyoga to the southern lakes Victoria and Tanganyika . Kitara is claimed as the antecedent of the Tooro , Ankole , and Busoga kingdoms. Some Luo invaded Kitara and assimilated with

2781-557: The United Kingdom and were allocated Namirembe Hill . Two years later, in 1879, the Catholic White Fathers also arrived, first settling at the present-day village of Kitebi near Lubaga; subsequently, they would be allocated Lubaga Hill. The arrival of these two missionary groups laid the ground for the religious wars of 1888 to 1892 between their new converts and forced the missionaries from Great Britain to then lobby for

2884-527: The 1930 plan to an area of 28 km (11 square miles) incorporating areas like Kololo Hill, and the Industrial Area. However, like the first two planning schemes, the 1951 plan failed to achieve many of its stated objectives. On 9 October 1962, Uganda gained independence; subsequently the capital city was transferred from Entebbe to Kampala and in the same year, Kampala was granted city status . In 1968, six years after Uganda attained independence,

2987-761: The 1972 plan, was also never implemented. In 2010, the Kampala Capital City Authority Act was enacted, giving the Ugandan Government more control of the administration of Kampala. The act also created the Kampala Metropolitan Physical Planning Authority with the stated aims of improving the infrastructure of the City of Kampala and the surrounding districts of Wakiso , Mukono , Buikwe , Mpigi and Luwero . On 11 July 2010, suicide bombers affiliated with al-Shabaab ,

3090-481: The 21 Buganda seats were elected by proportional representation reflecting the elections to the Buganda parliament – the Lukikko. KY won a resounding victory over DP, winning all 21 seats. The UPC reached a high at the end of 1964 when the leader of the DP in parliament, Basil Kiiza Bataringaya , crossed the parliamentary floor with five other MPs, leaving DP with only nine seats. The DP MPs were not particularly happy that

3193-722: The 250 passengers originally on board were held hostage until an Israeli commando raid rescued them ten days later. Amin's reign was ended after the Uganda-Tanzania War in 1979, in which Tanzanian forces aided by Ugandan exiles invaded Uganda. In 1980, the Ugandan Bush War broke out resulting in Yoweri Museveni became president since his forces toppled the previous regime in January 1986. Political parties in Uganda were restricted in their activities beginning that year, in

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3296-840: The Bantu society there, establishing the Biito dynasty of the current Omukama (ruler) of Bunyoro-Kitara . Arab traders moved into the land from the Indian Ocean coast of East Africa in the 1830s for trade and commerce. In the late 1860s, Bunyoro in Mid-Western Uganda found itself threatened from the north by Egyptian-sponsored agents. Unlike the Arab traders from the East African coast who sought trade, these agents were promoting foreign conquest. In 1869, Khedive Ismail Pasha of Egypt, seeking to annex

3399-533: The British government to take over Buganda/Uganda as a protectorate. In 1890, Frederick Lugard , an agent of the Imperial British East Africa Company , arrived in Buganda during the reign of Kabaka Mwanga II , with whom he signed a treaty of protection by the British government over Buganda, and the Kibuga (capital) was located at Mengo Hill. Captain Lugard would, later on, be allocated

3502-483: The Buganda Kabaka (King) Edward Muteesa II holding the largely ceremonial position of president. Uganda's immediate post-independence years were dominated by the relationship between the central government and the largest regional kingdom – Buganda . From the moment the British created the Uganda protectorate, the issue of how to manage the largest monarchy within the framework of a unitary state had always been

3605-410: The Buganda question remained unresolved. Uganda was one of the few colonial territories that achieved independence without a dominant political party with a clear majority in parliament. In the pre-Independence elections, the UPC ran no candidates in Buganda and won 37 of the 61 directly elected seats (outside Buganda). The DP won 24 seats outside Buganda. The "special status" granted to Buganda meant that

3708-592: The Busulu and Envujo law of 1928. In 1906, the Crown lands consisting of Old Kampala, Nakasero hills etc. and covering 567 hectares (5.67 km ; 1,400 acres) was consolidated and gazetted as Kampala Township. In 1912, Kampala Township received its first land-use plan and had a European and Asian population of 2,850. In 1922, Kampala's oldest university, Makerere , was founded as the Uganda Technical College at

3811-463: The Central government. For those outside the UPC (including KY supporters), this was a sign that Obote was vulnerable. Keen observers realised the UPC was not a cohesive unit. The collapse of the UPC-KY alliance openly revealed the dissatisfaction Obote and others had about Buganda's "special status". In 1964, the government responded to demands from some parts of the vast Buganda Kingdom that they were not

3914-476: The Impala". The Baganda, in whose territory this British settlement was located, then translated "Hill of the Impala" as Akasozi ke'Empala. This was then shortened to K'empala and finally Kampala. Kasozi means "hill", ke "of", and empala the plural of "impala". Hence the name "Kampala" came to refer to this initial British colonial settlement that would later on spread out from the occupied Old Kampala hill near

4017-450: The Kabaka if it came to that). Obote abolished the constitution and effectively suspended elections due in a few months. Obote went on television and radio to accuse the Kabaka of various offences including requesting foreign troops which appears to have been explored by the Kabaka following the rumours of Amin plotting a coup. Obote further dismantled the authority of the Kabaka by announcing among other measures: The lines were now drawn for

4120-457: The Kabaka made his move. He asked for foreign help, and the Buganda parliament demanded that the Uganda government leave Buganda (including the capital, Kampala). In response Obote ordered Idi Amin to attack the Kabaka's palace. The battle for the Kabaka's palace was fierce – the Kabaka's guards putting up more resistance than had been expected. The British trained Captain – the Kabaka with about 120 armed men kept Idi Amin at bay for twelve hours. It

4223-419: The Kabaka was mute – probably content in his ceremonial role and symbolism in his part of the country. However, there were also major divisions within his palace that made it difficult for him to act effectively against Obote. By the time Uganda had become independent, Buganda "was a divided house with contending social and political forces" There were however problems brewing inside the UPC. As its ranks swelled,

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4326-460: The Kabaka's subjects. Prior to colonial rule, Buganda had been rivalled by the neighbouring Bunyoro kingdom. Buganda had conquered parts of Bunyoro and the British colonialists had formalised this in the Buganda Agreements. Known as the "lost counties", the people in these areas wished to revert to being part of Bunyoro. Obote decided to allow a referendum, which angered the Kabaka and most of

4429-541: The Kabaka. They were now aligned to opposing Obote. Second – the security forces – the British colonialists had recruited the army and police almost exclusively from Northern Uganda due to their perceived suitability for these roles. At independence, the army and police was dominated by northern tribes – mainly Nilotic. They would now feel more affiliated to Obote, and he took full advantage of this to consolidate his power. In April 1966, Obote passed out eight hundred new army recruits at Moroto , of whom seventy percent came from

4532-508: The Kampala hill that would soon be known as Old Kampala , and on which he built a fort. In 1895, Mengo Senior School , the first school offering Western education in Kampala, was opened by the Church Missionary Society at Namirembe hill , where mostly the children of chiefs and pages of the royal palaces were students. In 1897, Mwanga launched a rebellion but was defeated and was subsequently captured and exiled , in 1899, to

4635-629: The Lugbara, Acholi, and Langi, all of whom have bitter rivalries that were to define Uganda's military politics later. Despite these ambiguities, these events unwittingly brought to fore the northerner/southerner political divide which to some extent still influences Ugandan politics. The UPC fragmentation continued as opponents sensed Obote's vulnerability. At local level where the UPC dominated most councils discontent began to challenge incumbent council leaders. Even in Obote's home district, attempts were made to oust

4738-521: The Northern Region. At the time there was a tendency to perceive central government and security forces as dominated by "northerners" – particularly the Acholi who through the UPC had significant access to government positions at national level. In northern Uganda there were also varied degrees of anti-Buganda feelings, particularly over the kingdom's "special status" before and after independence, and all

4841-772: The Protestant Church Missionary Society got Namirembe Hill, the Muslims under Prince Nuhu Mbogo's leadership received Kibuli Hill, the British Catholic Mill Hill Missionaries received most of Nsambya Hill. The Uganda Protectorate government obtained land classified as Crown lands in the area such as Old Kampala Hill, Nakasero Hill, etc. To legalise the above changes, the following laws and ordinances were subsequently passed: The Crown lands Ordinance of 1903, The Land Law of 1908, The Registration of Land Titles ordinance of 1922, and

4944-591: The Rule of Law and Good Governance in Uganda. The Strategic Goal of the Uganda Law Society is: Efficient Legal Service Delivery to ensure Access to Justice and Observance of the Rule of Law for Positive Social Transformation. The Strategic Objectives of the Uganda Law Society are: To promote members’ professional development and ethical conduct; To promote access to justice for Indigent, marginalized and vulnerable persons in Uganda; To contribute to upholding and promoting

5047-508: The Seychelles alongside Omukama Kabalega , and his 3-year-old son was made Kabaka by the combined forces of the European officers leading Nubian and Baganda colonial soldiers . This state of affairs later culminated in the signing of the Buganda Agreement (1900) that formalised British colonial rule in Buganda. Also in 1897, Kampala's first Western-style health facility, Mengo Hospital ,

5150-608: The UK on 9 October 1962 with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and Queen of Uganda . In October 1963, Uganda became a republic but maintained its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations . The first post-independence election, held in 1962, was won by an alliance between the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) and Kabaka Yekka (KY). UPC and KY formed the first post-independence government with Milton Obote as executive prime minister, with

5253-512: The UPC. The "North/South" ethnic divide that had been evident in economic and social spheres now entrenched itself in politics. Obote surrounded himself with mainly northern politicians, while Ibingira's supporters who were subsequently arrested and jailed with him, were mainly from the South. In time, the two factions acquired ethnic labels – "Bantu" (the mainly Southern Ibingira faction) and "Nilotic" (the mainly Northern Obote faction). The perception that

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5356-583: The Uganda Law Society was initiated as a pilot project by the Uganda Law Society in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, (Law Council) supported by the Legal Aid Basket Fund (LABF) in 2008. The Project currently covers the districts of Kampala, Gulu, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Masindi, Soroti, Arua and Mbarara through the satellite clinics of the Legal Aid Project (LAP) of

5459-598: The Uganda Law Society. This partnership between Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) and Uganda Law Society (ULS) focuses on Mobilizing Lawyers for the Rights of Ugandans. The implementation of the project is largely funded by the DGD project. Uganda Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda , is a landlocked country in East Africa . It is bordered to the east by Kenya , to

5562-419: The Uganda People's Congress (UPC). The UPC at its heart was dominated by politicians who wanted to rectify what they saw as the regional inequality that favoured Buganda's special status. This drew in substantial support from outside Buganda. The party however remained a loose alliance of interests, but Obote showed great skill at negotiating them into a common ground based on a federal formula. At Independence,

5665-762: The Ugandan population lives in abject poverty. This leads to limited access to justice as they cannot pursue the same due to the high related costs. According to the National Development Plan, the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) notes that the key barriers to access to justice include: growing caseloads, physical distance to service institutions, technical barriers, poverty, and lack of access by women and marginalized groups. It further indicates that women experience more barriers in accessing justice because they have higher illiteracy levels and lack information about legal rights. To this end, prevailing poverty and its attendant restriction on mobility limits access to legal services and as such occasions injustice. The Pro-bono Scheme of

5768-445: The boundaries of Kampala were expanded incorporating the Kibuga (then known as Mengo Municipality), Kawempe and Nakawa Townships, and areas including Muyenga and Ggaba. This increased the administrative area of Kampala from 28 km (11 square miles) to the current 189 km (73 square miles). In 1972, the fourth physical plan for Kampala was made covering the newly incorporated areas of Kampala's boundary extensions of 1968, but

5871-431: The buildings are of cane and rattan. The sultan's (Kabaka) palace is at least a mile long and the circular huts neatly arranged in a line are surrounded by a strong fence which has only four gates. In 1862, when explorer John Speke arrived in Buganda, the Kibuga (capital) was at Bandabarogo, present-day Banda Hill , and the reigning Kabaka (King) was Mutesa I . In 1875, explorer Henry Morton Stanley reported

5974-412: The capital I found the vast collection of huts crowning the eminence were the Royal Quarters, around which ran several palisades and circular courts, between which and the city was a circular road, ranging from 100 ft [30 meters] to 200 ft [60 meters] in width with gardens and huts... In 1877, the first missionaries from the Church Mission Society , who were of the Protestant faith, arrived from

6077-404: The capital and largest city, Kampala . Uganda is named after the Buganda kingdom, which encompasses a large portion of the south, including Kampala, and whose language Luganda is widely spoken; the official language is English. The region was populated by various ethnic groups, before Bantu and Nilotic groups arrived around 3,000 years ago. These groups established influential kingdoms such as

6180-468: The capital as being at present-day Lubaga Hill, where he met the same Kabaka , Mutesa I. During this visit, Stanley wrote a letter that was published in The Daily Telegraph , inviting missionaries to come to Buganda. He also described the Kibuga in his 1870s dispatches to The New York Herald , thus: As we approached the capital, the highway from Usavara [Busabala] increased in width from 20 ft [6 meters] to 150 ft [45 meters]...Arrived at

6283-469: The city center at altitude of 1,135 metres (3,724 ft). Kampala was originally built on seven hills , but it has expanded to cover more than the original seven hills. The original seven hills are: Due to Kampala's hilly nature and tropical climate, the valleys have slow rivers/swamps that tend to flow southwards towards Lake Victoria or northwards. These seasonal and or permanent swamps cover 15% of Kampala's land area. They include: Kampala, due to

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6386-416: The civil war against the Lord's Resistance Army, which has been guilty of numerous crimes against humanity, including child slavery , the Atiak massacre , and other mass murders. Conflict in northern Uganda has killed thousands and displaced millions. Parliament abolished presidential term limits in 2005, allegedly because Museveni used public funds to pay US$ 2,000 to each member of parliament who supported

6489-442: The country if anti-gay bills continue. Indicators of a plan for succession by the president's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, have increased tensions. President Yoweri Museveni has ruled the country since 1986 and he was latest re-elected in January 2021 presidential elections . According to official results Museveni won the elections with 58% of the vote while popstar-turned-politician Bobi Wine had 35%. The opposition challenged

6592-464: The country. Amin ruled Uganda as dictator with the support of the military for the next eight years. He carried out mass killings within the country to maintain his rule. An estimated 80,000–500,000 Ugandans died during his regime. Aside from his brutalities, he forcibly removed the entrepreneurial Indian minority from Uganda. In June 1976, Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France flight and forced it to land at Entebbe airport . One hundred of

6695-511: The death of the Uganda Martyrs in 1885—after the conversion of Muteesa I and much of his court, and the succession of his anti-Christian son Mwanga. The British government chartered the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) to negotiate trade agreements in the region beginning in 1888. From 1886, there was a series of religious wars in Buganda, initially between Muslims and Christians and then, from 1890, between "ba-Ingleza" Protestants and "ba-Fransa" Catholics, factions named after

6798-405: The diversity of habitats that include wetlands and hills, was previously covered with short grasses on the tops of the hills, elephant grass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), Cyperus papyrus , African water lily etc. in the swamps and evergreen forests with trees such as African olive (mpafu) and Natal fig (mutuba) . Kampala is located on the East African Plateau between the two arms of

6901-433: The economic and social benefits that came with this status. "Obote brought significant numbers of northerners into the central state, both through the civil service and military, and created a patronage machine in Northern Uganda". However, both "Bantu" and "Nilotic" labels represent significant ambiguities. The Bantu category for example includes both Buganda and Bunyoro – historically bitter rivals. The Nilotic label includes

7004-450: The ethnic, religious, regional, and personal interests began to shake the party. The party's apparent strength was eroded in a complex sequence of factional conflicts in its central and regional structures. And by 1966, the UPC was tearing itself apart. The conflicts were further intensified by the newcomers who had crossed the parliamentary floor from DP and KY. The UPC delegates arrived in Gulu in 1964 for their delegates conference. Here

7107-410: The government was at war with the Bantu was further enhanced when Obote arrested and imprisoned the mainly Bantu ministers who backed Ibingira. These labels brought into the mix two very powerful influences. First Buganda – the people of Buganda are Bantu and therefore naturally aligned to the Ibingira faction. The Ibingira faction further advanced this alliance by accusing Obote of wanting to overthrow

7210-520: The head of the local district council in 1966. A more worrying fact for the UPC was that the next national elections loomed in 1967 – and without the support of KY (who were now likely to back the DP), and the growing factionalism in the UPC, there was the real possibility that the UPC would be out of power in months. Obote went after KY with a new act of parliament in early 1966 that blocked any attempt by KY to expand outside Buganda. KY appeared to respond in parliament through one of their few remaining MPs,

7313-403: The highest peak in Uganda, which is named Alexandra and measures 5,094 meters. Much of the south of the country is heavily influenced by one of the world's biggest lakes, Lake Victoria, which contains many islands. The most important cities are located in the south, near this lake, including the capital Kampala and the nearby city of Entebbe . Lake Kyoga is in the centre of the country and

7416-521: The hostility of their leader, Benedicto Kiwanuka, towards the Kabaka was hindering their chances of compromise with KY. The trickle of defections turned into a flood when 10 KY members crossed the floor when they realised the formal coalition with the UPC was no longer viable. Obote's charismatic speeches across the country were sweeping all before him, and the UPC was winning almost every local election held and increasing its control over all district councils and legislatures outside Buganda. The response from

7519-526: The imperial powers with which they were aligned. Because of civil unrest and financial burdens, IBEAC claimed that it was unable to "maintain their occupation" in the region. British commercial interests were ardent to protect the trade route of the Nile, which prompted the British government to annex Buganda and adjoining territories to create the Uganda Protectorate in 1894. The Protectorate of Uganda

7622-490: The importance of Kampala to Uganda's economy. Kampala is reported to be among the fastest-growing cities in Africa, with an annual population growth rate of 4.03 percent, by City Mayors. Mercer (a New York –based consulting firm) has regularly ranked Kampala as East Africa's best city to live in, ahead of Nairobi and Kigali . Kampala originally referred to only the present-day Old Kampala hill, on whose summit Fort Lugard

7725-428: The institutions ineffective and unable to respond to the central government moves. The Kabaka was often regarded as aloof and unresponsive to advice from the younger Buganda politicians who better understood the new post-Independence politics, unlike the traditionalists who were ambivalent to what was going on as long as their traditional benefits were maintained. The Kabaka favoured the neo-traditionalists. In May 1966,

7828-515: The land in such a way that would come to define the development of Kampala. The land in Buganda 's Kibuga (capital), including Mengo Hill and Makerere Hill, was allocated to the young Kabaka , the Baganda colonial collaborators, etc., under mailo and freehold. The religious missions were also formally allocated land they were previously occupying. Thus, the Catholic White Fathers got Lubaga Hill,

7931-590: The measure. Presidential elections were held in February 2006. Museveni ran against several candidates, the most prominent of them being Kizza Besigye . On 20 February 2011, the Uganda Electoral Commission declared the incumbent president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the winning candidate of the 2011 elections that were held on 18 February 2011. The opposition however, were not satisfied with the results, condemning them as full of sham and rigging. According to

8034-617: The north by South Sudan , to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south-west by Rwanda , and to the south by Tanzania . The southern part includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria , shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, it lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied equatorial climate . As of 2024 , it has a population of over 49 million, of which 8.5 million live in

8137-405: The official results, Museveni won with 68 percent of the votes. This easily topped his nearest challenger, Besigye, who had been Museveni's physician and told reporters that he and his supporters "downrightly snub" the outcome as well as the unremitting rule of Museveni or any person he may appoint. Besigye added that the rigged elections would definitely lead to an illegitimate leadership and that it

8240-463: The poverty line, and without means to access justice. To date, the project has helped and continues to help thousands of indigent men, women and children to realize their legal and human rights. LAP has its head office in Kampala and branches in Kabarole, Kabale, Masindi, Jinja, Gulu, Arua, Soroti, Mbarara and Moroto. Pro-bono services in Uganda are premised on the fact that a significant proportion of

8343-499: The pre-existing Kibuga (capital) of the Buganda Kingdom. This area of numerous hills and swamps that later become known as Kampala was part of the core of the highly centralised Buganda Kingdom . It was also the site of the shifting Kibuga (capital) of the different Bassekabaka (kings) of the Buganda Kingdom, with each Kabaka (king) upon coronation, or subsequently during their reign, setting up their Kibuga (capital) on

8446-516: The present Makerere Hill and initially offered carpentry, building construction, mechanics, arts, education, agriculture, and medicine. In 1930, the first sewerage plan was prepared to target a population of 20,000 people in the Nakasero and Old Kampala areas of the Kampala township. This plan guided sewerage development from 1936 to 1940 in planned urban areas of the Kampala Township and excluded

8549-552: The resistance as an act of treachery, and he denounced the Banyoro in a book ( Ismailia – A Narrative Of The Expedition To Central Africa For The Suppression Of Slave Trade, Organised By Ismail, Khadive Of Egypt (1874)) that was widely read in Britain. Later, the British arrived in Uganda with a predisposition against the kingdom of Bunyoro and sided with the kingdom of Buganda . This would eventually cost Bunyoro half of its territory, which

8652-453: The rest of Buganda. The residents of the counties voted to return to Bunyoro despite the Kabaka's attempts to influence the vote. Having lost the referendum, KY opposed the bill to pass the counties to Bunyoro, thus ending the alliance with the UPC. The tribal nature of Ugandan politics was also manifesting itself in government. The UPC which had previously been a national party began to break along tribal lines when Ibingira challenged Obote in

8755-492: The result because of allegations of widespread fraud and irregularities. Another opposition candidate was 24 year old John Katumba. Uganda is located in southeast Africa between 1º S and 4º N latitude, and between 30º E and 35º E longitude. Its geography is very diverse, consisting of volcanic hills, mountains, and lakes. The country sits at an average of 900 meters above sea level. Both the eastern and western borders of Uganda have mountains. The Ruwenzori mountain range contains

8858-553: The rule of law in Uganda; To strengthen the institutional capacity of the ULS to become a modern Bar Association. The Uganda Law Society was formed by an act of Parliament in 1956. The ULS is governed by an executive council with representatives from each of the four regions of Uganda. It is a member of the East Africa Law Society , which also includes member countries Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The Legal Aid Project (LAP)

8961-536: The same year Sir Philip Mitchel , the Governor of Uganda , switched on Kampala and Uganda's first electric street lights . In 1945, Ernst May , a German architect, was commissioned by the Uganda Protectorate Government to design a new physical plan for Kampala. Ernst May's plan of 1947 was intended to extend Kampala eastwards covering Kololo Hill and Naguru Hill, and with the commercial centre on

9064-577: The scheme. Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of a motion to censure Amin and investigate Obote's involvement. This shook the government and raised tensions in the country. KY further demonstrated its ability to challenge Obote from within his party at the UPC Buganda conference where Godfrey Binaisa (the Attorney General) was ousted by a faction believed to have the backing of KY, Ibingira and other anti-Obote elements in Buganda. Obote's response

9167-674: The slain Christian martyrs. In the mid-to-late 1990s, Museveni was lauded by western countries as part of a new generation of African leaders. His presidency has been marred, however, by invading and occupying the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Second Congo War , resulting in an estimated 5.4 million deaths since 1998, and by participating in other conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa . He has struggled for years in

9270-439: The southern slopes of Nakasero Hill, an industrial zone in the southeast of Kampala, and, for the first time, a planned residential zone for the Ugandan natives. The plan was never fully implemented, and in 1951 the third physical plan by Henry Kendall was instead adopted, though it incorporated some elements of Ernst May's 1947 plan. Henry Kendall's 1951 plan expanded Kampala from the 5.67 km (2.19 square miles) area of

9373-539: The subsequent political and economic turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s meant the plan was never implemented. The Battle of Kampala during the Ugandan Bush War occurred in January 1986. It resulted in the capture of the city by the National Resistance Movement , led by Yoweri Museveni and the subsequent surrender of the Ugandan government . Similarly, the fifth physical plan for Kampala, made in 1994, like

9476-481: The terminally ill Daudi Ochieng. Ochieng was an irony – although from Northern Uganda, he had risen high in the ranks of KY and become a close confidant to the Kabaka who had gifted him with large land titles in Buganda. In Obote's absence from Parliament, Ochieng laid bare the illegal plundering of ivory and gold from the Congo that had been orchestrated by Obote's army chief of staff, Colonel Idi Amin . He further alleged that Obote, Onama and Neykon had all benefited from

9579-423: The territories north of the borders of Lake Victoria and east of Lake Albert and "south of Gondokoro ," sent a British explorer, Samuel Baker , on a military expedition to the frontiers of Northern Uganda, with the objective of suppressing the slave-trade there and opening the way to commerce and "civilization." The Banyoro resisted Baker, who had to fight a desperate battle to secure his retreat. Baker regarded

9682-408: The territory was extended beyond the borders of Buganda by signing more treaties with the other kingdoms ( Toro in 1900, Ankole in 1901, and Bunyoro in 1933 ) to an area that roughly corresponds to that of present-day Uganda. The status of Protectorate had significantly different consequences for Uganda than had the region been made a colony like neighboring Kenya , insofar as Uganda retained

9785-520: Was a protectorate of the British Empire from 1894 to 1962. In 1893, the Imperial British East Africa Company transferred its administration rights of territory consisting mainly of the Kingdom of Buganda to the British government. The IBEAC relinquished its control over Uganda after Ugandan internal religious wars had driven it into bankruptcy. In 1894, the Uganda Protectorate was established, and

9888-709: Was elected president in the 2011 , 2016 , and 2021 general elections. Human rights issues, corruption, and regional conflicts, such as involvement in the Congo Wars and the struggle against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), continue to challenge Uganda. Despite this, it has made progress in education and health, improving literacy and reducing HIV infection, though challenges in maternal health and gender inequality persist. The country's future depends on addressing governance and human rights, while leveraging its natural and human resources for sustainable development. Geographically, Uganda

9991-510: Was established by the Uganda Law Society in 1992, with assistance from the Norwegian Bar Association , to provide legal assistance to indigent and vulnerable people in Uganda. The Project was born out of the realization that apart from the state brief system that handles only capital offences, and the huge backlog of cases, there is no statutory free legal aid provision in Uganda despite a large part of Uganda's population living below

10094-525: Was evidenced in part by hostilities between the British colonial authorities and Buganda prior to independence. Within Buganda, there were divisions – between those who wanted the Kabaka to remain a dominant monarch and those who wanted to join with the rest of Uganda to create a modern secular state. The split resulted in the creation of two dominant Buganda based parties – the Kabaka Yekka (Kabaka Only) KY, and

10197-439: Was given to Buganda as a reward from the British. Two of the numerous "lost counties" were restored to Bunyoro after independence . In the 1860s, while Arabs sought influence from the north, British explorers searching for the source of the Nile arrived in Uganda. They were followed by British Anglican missionaries who arrived in the kingdom of Buganda in 1877 and French Catholic missionaries in 1879. This situation gave rise to

10300-439: Was located, and the initial headquarters of the British colonial authorities in the soon to be Uganda Protectorate . Before the British construction of Fort Lugard, the hill was a hunting reserve of the Kabaka (King) of Buganda and had several species of antelope, especially the impala . As a result, when the British colonial officials were allocated this hill by the then Kabaka of Buganda, they referred to it as "The Hill of

10403-519: Was opened on Namirembe hill by British doctor and missionary Sir Albert Ruskin Cook . In addition, Sir Albert Ruskin Cook would in 1913 found Mulago Hospital , the current National Referral Hospital, at Mulago hill. In 1899, the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa founded Lubaga Hospital on Lubaga Hill. In 1900, the regents of the infant Kabaka Daudi Cwa II (who were Apolo Kagwa ,

10506-486: Was the first demonstration as to how Obote was losing control of his party. The battle over the Secretary-General of the party was a bitter contest between the new moderate's candidate – Grace Ibingira and the radical John Kakonge. Ibingira subsequently became the symbol of the opposition to Obote within the UPC. This is an important factor when looking at the subsequent events that led to the crisis between Buganda and

10609-541: Was to arrest Ibingira and other ministers at a cabinet meeting and to assume special powers in February 1966. In March 1966, Obote also announced that the offices of President and vice-president would cease to exist – effectively dismissing the Kabaka. Obote also gave Amin more power – giving him the Army Commander position over the previous holder (Opolot) who had relations to Buganda through marriage (possibly believing Opolot would be reluctant to take military action against

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