Kenya’s Independence from Britain on December 12, 1963, came on the back of terrible sacrifices from Mau Mau fighters but what has remained publicly unacknowledged is that this war was partly financed by former Buganda king Sir Edward Mutesa II.

Mutesa, who was Kabaka of the Buganda from 1939 to 1969, assisted his friend Jomo Kenyatta with money and ex-servicemen who had fought in World War II, who helped to plan the Mau Mau guerrilla war strategy.

Shortly before Uganda’s own Independence in 1962, former Katikiro (chief minister) of Buganda Paul Kavuma, from 1950 to 1955, told this writer that Mutesa was financially backing the fight for uhuru (freedom) in neighbouring Kenya. Although he did not reveal the exact amount, he said that the money was being taken secretly by palace officials to Kenyatta.

Recently, A.D Lubowa, veteran journalist, freedom fighter and Muganda elder, now retired, also confirmed that Mutesa one day confided in him that he “assisted in a big way in the war for Kenya’s Independence.” As Minister for Justice in Mutesa’s government from 1960 to 1966, Mr Lubowa was very close to the Kabaka.

According to Mr Lubowa, Mutesa spoke about this assistance while the two were going to Nairobi to attend Kenya’s Independence celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Lang’ata on December 12, 1963, although the amount Mutesa contributed remained a secret to the Kabaka — because in Ganda custom, when the Kabaka confides in his subject, one does not press him to elaborate on the details unless the Kabaka does it himself.

The current Buganda government Minister for Information Noah Kiyimba Kaggwa also told The EastAfrican that it is difficult today to verify the amount of money Mutesa offered towards the Mau Mau war because the records were destroyed in the May 24, 1966 attack on the Kabaka’s palace by government forces.

Secret friendship

In the run-up to the Mau Mau war, there was a secret friendship and understanding between Mutesa and Kenyatta, co-ordinated by Muganda revolutionary Semakula Mulumba.

This friendship saw Mutesa’s government facilitate the education of many Kikuyus in Ugandan schools such as the Kings College Budo, Namilyango College, St. Mary’s College Kisubi, Luwule Secondary School and Seeta College.

Mulumba met Kenyatta in the United Kingdom in 1945 and the latter connected him to other African revolutionaries such as Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi.

Together, this group organised the first 1945 Pan African Conference in Manchester City, which sparked off the struggle for Africa’s Independence after a strong resolution that all African countries be liberated from colonialism.

Upon return to their countries, the freedom fighters started the struggles for uhuru. Jomo Kenyatta and Mulumba returned together in the same ship in 1946, and the struggle to liberate Kenya started.

At the time of Uganda’s Independence, Mulumba told this reporter that in 1946, the future first president of independent Kenya told him that he was going to launch the Mau Mau war, but the problem was money to finance the struggle.

It was then that Mulumba assured Kenyatta that he would approach Mutesa and request him to finance the war.

Mulumba secretly went to Mengo and presented Kenyatta’s request to Mutesa, who agreed, upon which the subject prostrated himself before his king (this is Ganda custom that when the Kabaka grants you something, you prostrate yourself before him in appreciation, and then walk backwards without turning your back on him).

Apparently, Mutesa was so keen to help Kenyatta that he introduced Mulumba to five Baganda ex-servicemen who had fought in World War II, with whom Mulumba went to Nairobi to help plan Mau Mau war.

Thereafter, Mutesa started sending money to Kenyatta — this was made easy due to the common currency of the day, the East African shilling.

According to the then Buganda Katikiro Paul Kavuma, Mutesa could afford this as Buganda Kingdom was rich because of the coffee crop, and there was money from the Kabaka’s tax paid by Baganda annually.

Even during the hard times of 1953 to 1955, when Mutesa was in exile in the United Kingdom and Kenyatta was in detention in northern Kenya, Buganda continued sending money to the Kikuyu fighters who were connected to Kenyatta.

Reciprocated  

On his part, Kenyatta reciprocated Mutesa’s assistance in the years that followed the 1966 Mengo Hill attack when the Milton Obote government troops invaded Mutesa’s palace, and thereafter abolished kingdoms. Many Baganda who fled to Kenya were on the orders of Kenyatta, accorded all necessary humanitarian assistance.

In 1978, for instance, after the collapse of the East African Community, the then Kenyan Attorney-General Charles Njonjo wanted all Ugandans to obtain work permits to work in Kenya. President Kenyatta overruled him.

Kenya’s Independence, celebrated on December 12, was achieved after 13 years of a bloody war that started in 1950.

Kenya was the first country in Africa to launch a guerrilla war that succeeded in delivering Independence.

Algeria also launched its war of Independence in 1954 under the leadership of Mohamed Ben Bella and army commander Houeri Boumediane, while much later in 1964, Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe and Edgar Tekere started charting its own path to freedom, which it achieved in 1980.