Echoes of the empire: Uganda’s fight to shed colonial relics

And the court ordered the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to rename those streets that reek of colonialism, those of the imperial British colonial administrators.

In Uganda, names of Lord Fredrick Lugard, William Frederick Gowers, Henry Colville, Trevor Ternan, Henry (Harry) Hamilton Johnstone, the King’s African Rifles (KAR), Gerald Herbert Portal and others are a relic. There are towns, streets named after them and buildings or other landmarks that commemorate their sojourns here.

But they were conquerors, some in the service of the Imperial British East African Company (IBEA) that helped London keep its finger on the pulse of Uganda.

In Kampala, you will find Lugard Road, King George VI Way, Speke Road, Colville Street, KAR Drive, Portal Avenue, Dastur Street, Prince Charles Drive and Hesketh Bell Road. These names, ruled the judge, have to be gradually removed.

“The capital (city) has continued to use the colonial names and this ought to be addressed through a gradual process of choosing appropriate names in honour of persons relevant to Uganda’s historical transformation since independence.

“A proper process should be initiated by the respondent in consultation with the general public in accordance with Paragraph 7 of Part A of the Third Schedule of the Kampala Capital City Authority Act and the Kampala City Authority Naming Guidelines 2017 to provide a framework for naming and renaming of roads,” Justice Ssekaana ruled.

As it stands, Kampala City will have to take steps to enforce the renaming programme, particularly by choosing names that “promote community harmony, unity or which exemplify the culture, heritage and values of the people of Uganda”, Justice Ssekaana ordered.

Undoing colonial heritage

It’s not the first-time pan-African enthusiasts have tried to undo colonial heritage.

In the aftermath of the Kampala ruling, stakeholders largely embraced the decision while maintaining a pragmatic outlook.

“We welcome the ruling because it triggers conversations on some of the sticky areas in field of heritage, where we need to ask ourselves hard questions – whose heritage should be preserved?” Fredrick Nsibambi, deputy executive director of the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU), a Kampala-based lobby for culture as vital to human development, told The EastAfrican. 

“Who should determine what to celebrate in terms of our heritage? How should we determine what to protect in terms of history and for how long shall we celebrate certain aspects of heritage?”

Pan-Africanists say renaming streets is one way to dismantle relics of the colonial legacy. Uganda gained independence from Britain in October 1962. But beyond the flag and internal administration, most of its mannerisms, laws and traditions are rooted in (British) common law.

“It is a symbolic yet significant step in dismantling the remnants of a debilitating colonial legacy.

“However, as important as this ruling is, it must be followed by broader efforts to achieve true decolonisation–beyond mere flag independence–to reclaim Uganda’s sovereignty in law, education, justice, and economic development,” said Apollo N. Makubuya, a senior lawyer at MMAKS Advocates in Kampala.

“Uganda, like many former colonies, continues to live under the shadow of colonial policies that still influence its politics and economy.”

In Kenya, as in Uganda, activists keen to dismantle colonial relics have challenged these traditions in the courts.

The Kenyan Judiciary had at one point abandoned the use of wigs and robes, one of the relics of the British colonial empire. But in a controversial change of policy, the robes were allowed back into the courtroom.

In many former colonies, some laws remain on the books six decades after the colonialists left. Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, for instance, have yet to outlaw death penalty. Britain itself abolished it in 1998.

“Decolonisation goes beyond renaming streets or public spaces. There is a need to decolonise our minds, systems and structures such as the education and governance structures. We need to reduce dependency on our former colonisers. Even the judge who delivered the ruling was following the justice system left behind by our colonisers,” CCFU official Nsibambi added.

Lake Victoria or Lake Nyanza?

Some activists have previously petitioned to change the names of places or natural bodies such as Lake Victoria. Named by the 19th-century explorer Speke after a queen of England, the name has stuck ever since.

A petition on Change.org asks the public to vote for a reversal of the more common reference of Lake Nyanza. “We want the people to decide on the correct African name for the lake that reflects the African people and NOT the British monarch who colonised us,” it says.

Leaders in the three East African countries that share the lake have not addressed the issue.

Read: Petitions to decolonise naming of lakes, streets

Sometimes these petitions are challenged by decisions made elsewhere. In the region’s parliaments, the dress code has remained British, even though adjustments have been made accommodate traditional clothing.

In February, Uganda’s Parliamentary Committee on Rules, Privileges, and Discipline put issued stringent recommendations on what lawmakers should wear.

“A pair of long trousers with a jacket, a kanzu and jacket, a safari suit, and other traditional attire should be omitted from the dress code regulations,” the rules said, according to legislator Abdu Katuntu.

“The only permissible dress for male MPs should be a suit, shirt, and tie. This will uphold decorum and ensure uniformity in parliamentary attire,” added Mr Katuntu, MP for Bugweri County.

“This clearly shows you that we are not ready to liberate ourselves,” said Nsibambi.

In Kenya, the rules have become stiffer over the past decade, with male lawmakers required to wear suits and ties at all times during sessions, while Kaunda suits are banned.

While removing colonial signage and names may excite enthusiasts, Makubuya argues that a better solution for Uganda and its peers is to retain the names a reminder of the past to teach about the future.

 “The colonial past is not just history – it remains a living reality that shapes Uganda’s present and future. This reality is reflected in the land tenure crisis, economic dependence, and a shaky political system built on the Westminster democracy model.”