Remove names of colonialists from public roads, court told

With barely a month to Uganda’s 62nd Independence anniversary, a concerned citizen calling himself a historian, has asked the court in Kampala to issue orders to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to immediately remove from all roads and streets within the capital city the names of colonial administrators.

Specific roads

The petitioner, Mr John Ssempebwa, who claims to have lived and worked in Mutundwe, Rubaga Division, and its surroundings for the past 50 years, wants names such as Lord Frederick Lugard, Captain William, Sir Henry Edward Colville, Colonel Trevor Ternan, Sir Henry (Harry) Hamilton Johnston, the Kings African Rifles (KAR), and Sir Gerald Herbert Portal removed from the city roads and streets.

Others are Queen Alexandrina Victoria, King Edward VII, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, the House of Windsor, Sir Ernest J. Lennox Berkeley, and Sir William Mackinnon.

Mr Ssempebwa argues that most of the named colonial administrators were involved in mass killings, torture, and discrimination during their regime known as the Uganda Protectorate and that KCCA cannot turn around to honour them by naming streets after them.

“…I am particularly aware of the atrocities, massacres, and other colonial crimes or injustices committed by Henry Colville and Trevor Ternan in the Kingdom of Bunyoro and Frederick Lugard in the Kingdom of Buganda. The legacies of these officials, in addition to those of others such as Sir Henry (Harry) Hamilton Johnston, Captain William, the Kings African Rifles (KAR), and Sir Gerald Herbert Portal are depressing, distasteful, incongruous and bear meanings for me and other Ugandans. They perpetuate hurt and division to me and amongst many members in my community,” the petitioner asserted.

“Honouring, celebration, and memorialisation of these former British colonial officials who implemented oppressive policies by the respondent in Uganda's capital city and elsewhere, carries painful memories and constantly offends my dignity, self-respect, and self-worth. It is torturous, hurtful, and distressful and amounts to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment to me and members of my community whose ancestors suffered decades of inhuman treatment and indignity that accompanied colonial conquest and occupation,” he said.

Mr Ssempebwa, who also claims to be the proprietor of Ssemagulu Royal Museum at Mutundwe in Rubaga Division, added that honouring the said colonial figures distorts history, glorifying colonial offices and the British monarchy while ignoring the harm and exploitation they inflicted upon local populations.

He adds that the said colonial figures are also symbolic of ongoing oppression and perpetuate the notion that colonialism is prevalent and valid many decades after Uganda got its independence.

Through his lawyers, MMAKS Advocates, the historian now wants the said streets/ roads renamed to reflect Ugandan heroes and heroines who fought for the country’s independence and contributed positively to the nation's development.

This he said, would foster national unity and pride and that the removal and renaming of these streets will contribute to healing historical wounds and promote a more inclusive and respectful environment for all Ugandans.

Also in his petition, Mr Ssempebwa details how this move to rename the streets with colonial administrators' names started on June 28,2019 when the Lord Mayor of Kampala City, Erias Lukwago, and later with the executive director but to date, nothing effective has been done to remedy the situation.

By press time last evening, KCCA had not filed its response to the lawsuit before a hearing date could be given.