Kiwanuka, his 13-member Cabinet swear in after one year wait

Having won the first general election in Uganda in 1961, the Democratic Party (DP) expected to form a government of internal self-rule.
Despite the victory, the formation of a new government was delayed by almost nine months. As they waited, DP president general Benedicto Kiwanuka took on the title of chief minister. It was not until March 1962 when campaigns for the general election ahead of Independence were underway that Kiwanuka was sworn in as prime minister and formed a Cabinet.

The fresh elections, held barely a year after the one won by DP, were organised as a result of, among others, some members going to the National Assembly with very few votes.
A case in point was the late Prof Ponsiano Mulema from Bugerere County. He stood on the DP ticket and got only three votes, but was declared an elected member of the Assembly representing a constituency of more than 3,000 voters. Buganda Kingdom boycotted the election.

Finally in office
In March 1962, Kiwanuka and his 13-member Cabinet officially took office. The Cabinet had one European and one Asian.
In his first address as prime minister, Kiwanuka paid tribute to Britain which had pledged a development fund of more than £10 million at the time.
Kiwanuka also praised the manner in which Uganda was gaining independence without shedding blood like other countries on the continent.

“I also like to congratulate the people of this country on the achievement of this vital step towards our independence. We must be proud of ourselves to see that we have archived this step without bitter feelings, hostilities, and suffering through which many countries have had to pass to get so far towards their independence,” he said.
“Without bringing party politics into this day on which I hope everyone throughout the country will rejoice and join in celebration, signs are there for all to see that Uganda can have a great future if only the people and the government can work together to make first of all our internal self-government a success.”

Leader of Opposition Apolo Milton Obote took turns to appeal to Ugandans to unite and not to be torn apart by politics as was evidenced in the campaigns.
“The importance of this day is not in who or what party is in government or who is the prime minister; the importance of this day is essentially in the ability of the people of Uganda to draw lessons from the past,” Obote said according to Taifa Empya.

“As we face the future, let us take with us confidence on ourselves and our country. Let us not forget to do to others what each one would want to be done to him. Let us resolve that though we belong to different tribes and races and practice different religions these differences are indeed a source of strength and not weakness.”
The declaration of internal self-rule coincided with the time when Kampala was having its first and only female mayor, Barbra Saben.
In her speech at City Hall, Saben said: “Our first thought today will be of the past and we shall remember many things with gratitude and with emotions. Our following thoughts will be for the future and the excitement and challenges.”

The changes
Following the declaration of internal self-rule, there were a number of changes not only in the administration but also in other areas of governance.
The present-day title of minister came into being, replacing the title of secretary. It was also on this day that the first Ugandan flag was unveiled by the prime minister. The flag had yellow, green, blue and a crested crane. This would later be replaced with the current black, yellow, red flag.

According to the Uganda Argus newspaper of March 1, 1962, all the land in the country that had been declared crown land in the colonial days became public land.
Following the declaration of the public land ordinance, a land commission was created to hold land on behalf of the government of Uganda. Under these changes, the Buganda Land Board was also created and it was to grant leases of all land in Kampala, Masaka, Entebbe, Mubende and Njeru to municipalities or town boards concerned. The leases in these areas were to last for 199 years with a token rent of Shs1 per year.

The land to be leased in these areas was only the land owned by Buganda government and being used by the central government.
Another change included the Legislative Council (LEGCO) becoming the National Assembly (and later Parliament) with 82 elected members. Eight other members were to be appointed by the governor, making a total of 90 members.
Also sitting in the National Assembly were ministers as ex-officials in case the minister was not an elected member of the assembly.

The new Cabinet of internal self-rule had Benedicto Kiwanuka as prime minister, Stanley Bemba as minister of State, Lawrence Sebalu as minister of Finance, AA Latim as minister of Economic Development, Patrick J Wilson as minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, ZR Babukika as minister of Health, G Oda as minister of Home Affairs, Enocha Mulira as Social Development minister, NE Opio as minister of Works, JB Mukasa as minister of Agriculture and Animal Industries, David Nabeta as minister of Local Government, JC Kiwanuka as minister of Education and CK Patel as minister of Commerce and Industry.
However, less than a month after formation of the government, allegations of a planned coup started filtering through.
According to the Uganda Argus of March 30, 1962, Finance minister Sebalu while on a trip to London warned of an impending coup against democracy in Uganda saying.

“I have discovered plans to stage a military coup within three years after independence or it might be within one year after independence,” he said, adding that the coup was drawn up in London by UPC supports, though he did not mention who the plotters were.
“These people are preparing and the best we can expect from them is high-handed government action. In spite of their alliance with the Kabaka, UPC is opposed to any kind of monarchy.”
Unfortunately for Kiwanuka, in less than two months after taking office new elections were held. The UPC-KY alliance took the majority and formed the first Independence government. UPC got 37 seats against DP’s 24.
Not having contested for a parliamentary seat, Kiwanuka never returned to Parliament either.

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