How govt ministries were created

Buganda was declared a British protectorate in 1894, followed by other parts of Uganda two years later.
The protectorate government’s concern at the time was keeping law, order and the collecting taxes. They left the day-to-day running of the local administration to traditional leadership that existed before their arrival.
Another aspect they got involved in was the administration of justice where they set aside a special court for non-Africans. This existed until 1902 when they opened a high court which had powers over all persons and matters.

Financial self-sufficiency
When the British government took over the protectorate against the wish of the British population, it promised to govern the colonies’ using finances from their taxpayers.
Financial self-sufficiency was to be attained through rapid development of the protectorate’s natural resources, and in particular through her capacity to grow profitable cash crops.
It was against this background that specialist departments were created in the first two decades of protectorate rule.
Majority of the departments set up at the turn of the century had as their purpose the preservation of law and order, in the case of the Police Department, Public Works for the maintenance of government services, then there was the Botanical, Forestry and Scientific Department whose sole purpose was to explore the means by which the agricultural potential of the territory might be developed with a view of achieving the protectorate’s internal solvency.
At the time, the government was not thinking of delivering any other services in the protectorate. According their annual reports, the government asked Christian missionaries to step in and provide education and medical attention to Africans.
The organisational structure of the colonial government was such that the governor was an absolute ruler responsible for all functions of government. He had civil servants spread across departments who handled the day-to-day functions of the state on his behalf.
According to the compilation of the Annual Departmental reports relating to Uganda 1903-1963, at the top of the departmental set up was “the special position of the Provincial Administration, consisting of provincial commissioners and district commissioners who were responsible for the peace and good order of, and for the efficient conduct of all public business in, their respective provinces or districts.”
What we have today as ministries started as departments. In the beginning there were only three; medical, public works and agriculture departments.
The medical department was the first to be formed in 1898, though at its inception it was caring for the government civil servants only. This position did not change until the 1920s when the British government accepted that it was in a position of responsibility for the development and welfare of the African population.
The departments had representatives in each province and district to ensure implementation of the departmental policy.
Below the governor was the chief secretary, the precursor to the prime minister, who was responsible for the coordination of the activities of the different departments.
It was to him that the provincial and the department heads reported to in regards to their activities. The departments and their heads were done away with in the 1950’s following the introduction of ministerial system of government. The ministers were responsible for the running of the departments in their different portfolios and reported to the governor.
The government’s decision to take over education from the Christian missionaries was a turning point in the increase and spread of the departments. The government established an education department in 1925.
When the health department started getting funding in 1936, it expanded faster than other departments. This followed the protectorate government’s willingness to take on the responsibility of the wellbeing of the natives. As a result, the department took a lion’s share of the budget by 1936.
Just before World War II, there was a slump in the global market which affected not only the revenues much needed by the protectorate government but also the British treasury.
But the period immediately after the war saw economic prosperity in Uganda, thanks to the soaring prices of commodities such as cotton and coffee that Uganda was exporting.
The British treasury too was doing well and used the increased export income as collateral to give Uganda large sums of money.
Under the United Kingdom Colonial and Welfare Act of 1940, large sums of money were made available for development and research. A bright future was predicted for Uganda’s industrial and mineral potential.
However, there was a change in priorities in 1952 when a new governor, Sir Andrew Cohen, took over.
Focus shifted from economic to social development, with emphasis placed on education. While the pace of expansion increased, new departments started to proliferate and those already in existence multiplied their staff and activities.
During Cohen’s administration, economic development was registered in the protectorate. As a result, quasi government boards were created instead of widening the reach of the already existing government departments.
The creation of such boards hit its peak in 1952 with the creation of the Uganda Development Corporation. This took over the roles which had been played by the Uganda Company created in 1902.
The Uganda Company was trading on behalf of the protectorate government for some time though it was not a fully government owned company.
By the time of Cohen’s departure in 1957, preparations for independence was gathering pace. This was when the focus turned and the economy suffered as the price of the commodities fell.
Focus was shifted to Africanisation of the civil service and promoting Africans in the different government departments. They were being prepared to take over posts which had previously been held by Whites who were to leave after independence.

About The Colony

The British Protectorate of Uganda was a colony of the British Empire from 1894 to 1962. In 1893, the Imperial British East Africa Company transferred its administration rights of territory consisting mainly of Buganda Kingdom to the British Government. In 1894 the Uganda Protectorate was established, and the territory was extended beyond the borders of Buganda to an area that roughly corresponds to that of present-day Uganda.