The Buganda Agreement (1900), signed in March 1900, formed the basis of British relations with the Kingdom of Buganda. The Kabaka of Buganda was recognised as ruler of the kingdom as long he remained faithful to the British monarch, and the Lukiiko (council of chiefs) was given statutory recognition. This was following another agreement signed in 1894 in which Buganda, then known as Uganda, was declared a British protectorate. This agreement is also known as the Buganda Charter of Rights and was upheld for more than 50 years.
Text of the Buganda Agreement of 1900
The Buganda Agreement, 1900 (See Native Agreement and Buganda Native Laws, Laws of the Uganda Protectorate, Revised Edition 1935 Vol. VI, pp. 1373–1384; Laws of Uganda 1951 Revised Edition, Vol. VI, pp. 12–26)
We, the undersigned, to wit, Sir Henry Hamilton Johnston, K.C.B., Her Majesty's Special Commissioner, Commander-in -Chief and Consul-General for the Uganda Protectorate and the adjoining Territories, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, on the one part; and the under mentioned Regents and Chiefs of the Kingdom of Uganda on behalf of the Kabaka (King) of Uganda, and the chiefs and people of Uganda, on the other part: do hereby agree to the following Articles relative to the government and administration of the Kingdom of Uganda.
1. The boundaries of the Kingdom of Uganda shall be the following: starting from the left bank of the Victoria Nile at the Ripon Falls, the boundary shall follow the left bank of the Victoria Nile into Lake Kioga, and then shall be continued along the centre of Lake Kioga, and again along the Victoria Nile as far as the confluence of the River Kafu, opposite the town of Mruli.
From this point the boundary shall he carried along the right or eastern bank of the River Kafu, up stream, as far as the junction of the Kafu and Embaia. From this point the boundary shall be carried in a straight line to the River Nkusi, and shall follow the left bank of the River Nkusi down stream to its entrance into the Albert Nyanza. The boundary shall then be carried along the coast of the Albert Nyanza in a south-western direction as far as the mouth of the River Kuzizi, and then shall be carried up stream along the right bank of the River Kuzizi and near its source.
From a point near the source of the Kuzizi and near the village of Kirola (such point to be finally determined by Her Majesty's Commissioner at the time of the definite survey of Uganda) the boundary shall be carried in a south-western direction until it reaches the River Nabutari, the left bank of which it will follow down stream to its confluence with the River Katonga; The boundary shall be carried in a southwestern direction until it reaches the River Nabutari, the left bank of which it will follow down stream to its confluence with the River Katonga; The boundary shall then be carried up stream along the left confluence of the Chungaga, after which, crossing the Katonga, the boundary shall be carried along the right bank of the said Chungaga river, up stream to its source; and from its source the boundary shall be drawn in a south-eastern direction to the point where the Byoloba River enters Lake Kachira; and shall then be continued along the centre of Lake Kachira to its south-eastern extremity, where the River Bukova leaves the lake, from which point the boundary shall be carried in a south-eastern direction to the Anglo-German frontier.
The boundary shall then follow the Anglo-German frontier to the coast of the Victoria Nyanza and then shall be drawn across the waters of the Victoria Nyanza in such a manner as to include within the limits of the Kingdom of Uganda the Sese Archipelago (including Kosi and Mazinga), Ugaya, Lufu, Igwe, Buvuma, and Lingira Islands. The boundary, after including Lingira Islands, shall be carried through Napoleon Gulf until it reaches the starting point of its definition at Bugungu at the Ripon Falls on the Victoria Nile. To avoid any misconception, it is intended by this definition to include within the boundaries of Uganda all the islands lying off the north-west coast of the Victoria Nyanza in addition to those specially mentioned.
2. The Kabaka and Chiefs of Uganda hereby agree henceforth to renounce in favour of Her Majesty the Queen any claims to tribute they may have had on the adjoining provinces of the Uganda Protectorate.
3. The Kingdom of Uganda in the administration of the Uganda Protectorate shall rank as a province of equal rank with any other provinces into which the protectorate may be divided.
4. The revenue of the Kingdom of Uganda, collected by the Uganda Administration, will be merged in the general revenue of the Uganda Protectorate, as with that of the other provinces of this Protectorate.
5. The laws made for the general governance of the Uganda Protectorate by Her Majesty's Government will be equally applicable to the Kingdom of Uganda, except in so far as they may in any particular conflict with the terms of this agreement, in which case the terms of this Agreement will constitute a special exception in regard to the Kingdom of Uganda.
6. So long as the Kabaka, chiefs, and people of Uganda shall conform to the laws and regulations instituted for their governance by Her Majesty's Government, and shall cooperate loyally with Her Majesty's Government in the organisation and administration of the said Kingdom of Uganda, Her Majesty's Government agrees to recognise the Kabaka of Uganda as the native ruler of the province of Uganda under Her Majesty's protection and over-rule.
The King of Uganda shall henceforth be styled His Highness the Kabaka of Uganda. On the death of a Kabaka, his successor shall be elected by a majority of votes in the Lukiiko, or native council. The range of selection, however, must be limited to the Royal Family of Uganda, that is to say, to the descendants of King Muteesa.
The name of the person chosen by the native council must be submitted to Her Majesty's Government for approval, and no person shall be recognised as Kabaka of Uganda whose election has not received the approval of Her Majesty's Government. The Kabaka of Uganda shall exercise direct rule over the natives of Uganda, to who he shall administer justice through the Lukiiko, or native council, and through others of his officers in the manner approved by Her Majesty's Government. The jurisdiction of the native Court of the Kabaka of Uganda, however, shall not extend to any person not a native of the Uganda province.
The Kabaka's Courts shall be entitled to try natives for capital crimes, but no death sentence may be carried out by the Kabaka, or his Courts, without the sanction of Her Majesty's representative in Uganda. Moreover, there will be a right of appeal from the native Courts to the principal Court of Justice established by Her Majesty in the Kingdom of Uganda as regards all sentences which inflict a term of more than five years' imprisonment or a fine of over £100.
In the case of any other sentences imposed by the Kabaka's Courts, which may seem to Her Majesty's Government disproportioned or inconsistent with humane principles, Her Majesty's representative in Uganda shall have the right of remonstrance with the Kabaka, who, shall at the request of the said representative, subject such sentence to reconsideration.
The Kabaka of Uganda shall be guaranteed by Her Majesty's Government from out of the local revenue of the Uganda Protectorate a minimum yearly allowance of £1,500 a year. During the present Kabaka's minority, however, in lieu of the above-mentioned subvention, there will be paid to the master of his household, to meet his household expenditure, £650 a year, and during his minority the three persons appointed to act as Regents will receive an annual salary of £400 a year. Kabakas of Uganda will be understood to have attained their majority when they have reached the age of I8 years. The Kabaka of Uganda shall be entitled to a salute of nine guns on ceremonial occasions when such salutes are customary.
7. The Namasole, or mother of the present Kabaka (Chwa), shall be paid during her lifetime an allowance at that rate of £50 a year. This allowance shall not necessarily be continued to the mothers of other Kabakas.
8. All cases, civil or criminal, of a mixed nature, where natives of the Uganda province and non-natives of that province are concerned, shall be subject to British Courts of Justice only.
9. For purposes of native administration the Kingdom of Uganda shall be divided into the following districts or administrative counties:
(1) Kyaggwe (11) Butambala (Bweya) (2) Bugerere (12) Kyadondo (3) Bulemezi (13) Busiro (4) Buruli (14)Mawokota (5) Bugangadzi (15) Buvuma (6) Bwekula (16) Ssese (7) Singo (17) Buddu (8) Busuju (18) Kooki (9) Gomba (Butunzi). (19) Mawogola (10)Buyaga (20) Kabula
At the head of each county shall be placed a chief who shall be selected by the Kabaka's Government, but whose name shall be submitted for approval to Her Majesty's representative. This chief, when approved by Her Majesty' s representative, shall be guaranteed from out of the revenue of Uganda a salary at the rate of £200 a year. To the chief of a county will be entrusted by Her Majesty's Government, and by the Kabaka, the task of administering justice amongst the natives dwelling in his county, the assessment and collection of taxes, the up-keep of the main road, and the general supervision of native affairs.
On all questions but the assessment and collection of taxes the chief of the county will report direct to the King's native Ministers, from whom he will receive his instructions. When arrangements have been made by Her Majesty's Government for the organization of a police force in the province of Uganda, a certain number of police will be placed at the disposal of each chief of a county to assist him in maintaining order.
For the assessment and payment of taxes, the chief of a county shall be immediately responsible to Her Majesty's representative, and should he fail in his duties in this respect, Her Majesty's representative shall have the right to call upon the Kabaka to dismiss him from his duties and to appoint another chief in his stead. In each county an estate, not exceeding an area of 8 square miles, shall be attributed to the chieftainship of a county, and its usufruct shall be enjoyed by the person occupying, for the time being, the position of chief of the county.
10. To assist the Kabaka of Uganda in the Government of his people he shall be allowed to appoint three native officers of state, with the sanction and approval of Her Majesty's representative in Uganda (without whose sanction such appointments shall not be valid)- A Prime Minister, otherwise known as Katikkiro; a Chief Justice; and a Treasurer or Controller of the Kabaka's revenues. These officials shall he paid at the rate of £300 a year. Their salaries shall be guaranteed them by Her Majesty's Government from out of the funds of the Uganda Protectorate.
During the minority of the Kabaka these three officials shall be constituted the Regents, and when acting in that capacity shall receive salary at the rate of £400 a year. Her Majesty's chief representative in Uganda shall at any time have direct access to the Kabaka and shall have the powers of discussing matters affecting Uganda with the Kabaka alone or, during his minority, with the Regents; but ordinarily the three officials above designated will transact most of the Kabaka' business with the Uganda Administration.
The Katikkiro shall be the ex-officio President of the Lukiiko, or native council; the VicePresident of the Lukiiko shall be the native Minister of justice for the time being; in the absence of both Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, the Treasurer of the Kabaka's revenues, or third minister, shall preside over the meetings of the Lukiiko.