HEA3: RELIGIOUS WARS IN BUGANDA IN THE LATE 1880s AND EARLY 1890s

 RELIGIOUS WARS IN BUGANDA IN THE LATE 1880s AND EARLY 1890s

Religious wars in Uganda started with the arrival of foreigners. The first foreigners to come to Uganda were Arabs introducing Islam, followed by Protestants and Catholics, with Christianity.

According to enteruganda.com, the competition between Catholics and Protestants in Buganda was a reflection of the rivalry between France and England for spheres of influence where they could obtain cheap raw materials.

THE COURSE OF THE RELIGIOUS WARS

The missionaries had arrived in Buganda in 1877 and another group had come in 1879. These European missionaries together with the Muslims and traditionalists in Buganda wanted to increase their influence over the Kabaka and the whole Kingdom.

By the time, Mwanga came to power in 1884 that was the situation in Buganda. The Muslims and Arabs took advantage o their having been the 1^st religious group in the Kingdom to warn Mwanga that the European missionaries wanted to take over his Kingdom since some of the converts had started disobeying his orders. Mwanga decided to take steps to avoid the loss of his power to the missionaries.

In January 1885, 3 pages who had converted were executed on his order because of their disobedience.

In November 1885, Bishop Hannington was murdered when he tried to enter Buganda from the East.

In June 1886, thirty converts were burnt at Namugongo when they refused to denounce the new faith.

Sensing the continued instability, Mwanga planned to chase away all the religious leaders both Christians and Muslims but they discovered his plans and in 1888, they combined and over threw him and installed Kiweewa. When Kiweewa refused to be circumcised they removed him and installed Kalema.

During the reign of Kalema, Muslim influence increased and Muslims started persecuting the Christians. They killed converts, burnt Churches and the Christians fled the Kingdom and went to Kabula in Ankole.

They then mobilized forces came back to Buganda and removed Kalema and Mwanga was re-installed in October 1888 with a lot of Catholic support.

In 1890, Captain Fredrick Lugard was sent by Imperial British East African Company (IBEA) to Buganda and he used Protestant Missionary influence to make Mwanga to sign a treaty in January 1891.

Lugard then armed the Christians to fight the Muslims who were concentrated on the Bunyoro-Buganda Border. Lugard then moved westwards to Toro, then to Ankole but in January 1892, conflicts between Catholics and Protestant rose again and these resulted into the battle of Mengo where Lugard armed the Protestants and defeated the Catholics.

In January 1892, Mugoloba a Catholic leader killed a Protestant in self defence. Mwanga tried the case according to the traditional Kiganda law and acquitted Mugoloba.

The Protestants were not happy because they thought that the Catholics were using the Kabaka against them.

The Protestants applied to Lugard, who then ordered for Mugoloba`s execution. When Mwanga refused, Lugard sided with the Protestants.

He issued them with guns, added some Sudanese troops to their forces and together with his superior Maxim gun took the side of the Protestant and stormed the Kings palace at Mengo on 24^th January 1892.

The Catholics and supporters of the Kabaka were defeated and the Palace was taken by the Protestants, then Mwanga together with his Catholic chiefs and his Supporters fled to Bulingugwe Island on Lake Victoria.

Following these, there was a lot of instability in Buganda so Lugard reinstated Mwanga in March 1892.

In April 1892, Lugard forced Mwanga to sign a treaty reaffirming the treaty in 1891. Lugard also made a new agreement with the Catholic chiefs and Protestant chiefs in Buganda.

CAUSES OF RELIGIOUS WARS

The struggle for political control between the Catholics and Protestants at the Kings court because each group thought that such political influence would help them to get more converts.

Mwanga`s struggle to maintain his position and power which was being threatened by the Christians.

The difference in teachings; each of the missionary group taught Christianity using different approaches and principles because each of them wanted many converts. The local people became divided and these led to conflicts that resulted into wars.

Each of the Christian groups represented an important power and these powers tended to be rivals in Europe. The Catholics represented France and the Protestant missionaries represented Britain. The transfer of traditional rivalry between Britain and France led to religious wars.

Each of the Christian groups wanted its own country to dominate the influence of Buganda. The British missionaries of Buganda to be dominated by the French and Catholic missionaries. Britain wanted Buganda as an area of influence as a result, the hostility between the two countries.

Lugard`s desire to show the British position of superiority in Buganda led to the war in 1892.

Lugard`s misunderstanding of the Kiganda law made him challenge the authority of Mwanga and these contribute to the battle of Mengo in 1892.

Lugard`s desire to undermine the Kabaka`s power through the Protestant Christian chiefs and pages made them disobey the Kabaka and contributed to the wars.

Mwanga`s apparent favor of the Catholics in an attempt to reduce the British threat on his power contributed to the war.

RESULTS OF THE RELIGIOUS WARS AND BATTLE IN MENGO

1. There was loss of lives, the converts were killed and even some people were killed.
2. The Catholics and Protestant rivalry with started during religious wars have continued up to date hindering national unity.
3. It increased disunity among the people of Uganda and made it easy for the British to colonize them.
4. They resulted into rivalry in the establishment of schools and Churches which led to wastage of resources and made it hard for people even from the same ethnic group to unite for social, economic, and political development.
5. It established the influence of the Protestants in the political affairs of Uganda and these has hindered political unity up to date.
6. The religious conflicts which began in Buganda, in form of religious wars spread to other parts of Uganda creating imaginary differences among the people.
7. From that time, the Catholics remained disgruntled and even in the days towards independence. The Catholics were not willing to work with the Protestants.
8. In the 1950`s-1962, political parties were formed on religious basis e.g. Uganda National Congress (UNC) was Protestant based. The progress party also by Protestants and Dp was Catholic based meaning “Dini ya Paapa” or religion of the Pope and this formed the basis of Democratic Party.
9. The wars resulted into instability in Buganda
10. The wars also reduced the spread of Islam because the Muslims were not favored by the British political arrangement.
11. The wars led to discrimination in the colonial government creating more disunity among the people.
12. After the wars, powers the Kabaka were greatly reduced; he could not declare war or take decisions on serious matters without the consent of the British resident and couldn’t control the Europeans who were only under the control of the resident.
13. It enabled the British to secure collaborators, especially Christian chiefs and converts who the British used to extend the control over the ports of Uganda.
14. After the wars, Christianity spread more rapidly in Buganda and elsewhere through the establishment of reading houses.
15. Buganda was divided between Protestants, Catholics and Muslims. The Protestants got the central counties like Kyagwe, Mawokoota, Busiiro, and Kyadondo. The Catholics were given Buddu and Muslims given Gomba and Butambala but the traditionalists didn’t get anything.
16. The new land settlement led to migration of thousands of families and these reduced social unity.
17. From 1893, Buganda was to have two Katiikiros (Prime minister) one Protestant and the other Catholic. The British also decided to give some Catholic chiefs some land.
18. The religious wars undermined the credibility of the missionaries among the Baganda.