Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II assumed the throne as Kabaka of Buganda on 22 November 1939, following the death of his father, Daudi Cwa II. His tenure spanned three decades of colonial administration, the transition to independence, and his brief service as the first President of Uganda from 1963 until 1966.
Early Life and Education
Born in Kampala in 1924 to Daudi Cwa II and Lady Irene Drusilla Namaganda, Mutesa received his initial education at King's College Budo. He subsequently moved to England to attend Magdalene College, Cambridge. During his time in the United Kingdom, he joined the University Officer Training Corps and earned a commission as a captain in the Grenadier Guards, providing him with a military background that would complement his later political responsibilities.
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Mutesa was crowned Kabaka on his eighteenth birthday in 1942. His reign faced significant tension in 1953 when the British colonial government proposed a federation of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanganyika. Fearing the loss of traditional autonomy and the influence of white settlers, Mutesa resisted the proposal, leading to a diplomatic rupture with Governor Sir Andrew Cohen. The governor subsequently deposed and exiled the Kabaka, triggering extensive civil unrest in Buganda. The colonial administration eventually allowed Mutesa to return to Kampala in 1955 under the terms of a new agreement that established him as a constitutional monarch.
Presidency and Downfall
Following Uganda's independence in 1962, Mutesa formed a political coalition between his Kabaka Yekka party and Milton Obote's Uganda People's Congress. In 1963, Parliament elected Mutesa as the first President of Uganda, a non-executive position. The partnership with Obote fractured in 1964 over a referendum regarding the lost counties. By 1966, Obote had suspended the constitution, declared himself president, and ordered an attack on the royal palace. Mutesa fled into exile, residing in the United Kingdom until his death in 1969.
Fast facts
- Born: 1924, Kampala
- Died: 1969, London
- Kabaka of Buganda: 1939–1969
- President of Uganda: 1963–1966
- Education: King's College Budo; Magdalene College, Cambridge
- Languages: Luganda
- Awards: Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Burial: Kasubi Tombs, Kampala
Questions readers ask
Why was Mutesa exiled in 1953?
He was exiled by Governor Andrew Cohen after opposing the British proposal to create a federation of British East African territories.
What caused the collapse of his presidency?
His alliance with Prime Minister Milton Obote dissolved due to the lost counties referendum and political infighting, resulting in his overthrow in 1966.
Achievements
- President of Uganda (1963–1966)
- president
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Order of Merit for National Foundation
- Educated at Magdalene College and King's College Budo
