Continued resentment towards economic disparities erupted in violence towards Asian businesses and the Baganda chiefs who enjoyed a relatively privileged position within the colonial order.

The Bataka Party was instrumental in leading the uprising and were subsequently banned for their involvement. The following was reported in The Times:

” Communist Action in Uganda

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Province a ‘Disturbed Area’

The Governor of Uganda, Sir John Hall, to-day announced the proscription of the Bataka Party of Uganda and the African Farmers’ Union. The Bataka are known to have Communist contacts overseas.

As further measures against the present unrest, the whole province of Buganda has been declared a ‘disturbed area,’ the troops in the Kampala area have been reinforced from headquarters in Uganda and from Kenya, and a Press censorship has been introduced.

The Governor, in a message to the people, said: ‘A few evil and self-seeking men have brought about great trouble and distress in Buganda. Acting under Communist inspiration, they are seeking to impose violence, intimidation, arson, and muderous assault on constituted authority.’

Every African in the area of disturbance would suffer for the crimes of the few, because the Government intended to exercise its powers under the police ordinance to recover from the community the full cost of compensation for damage to persons and property.

There is some anxiety among the Asian community for safety of its people in outlying areas. The number of Africans at work has fallen considerably. At Makerere College, which is East Africa’s leading educational institution for Africans, the European staff and about 200 students have evacuated their residences and congregated in the main building, where they have organized their own protection. Near the college a house occupied by Europeans was burned yesterday. Europeans are on guard day and night at local banks, and most cotton ginneries have stopped work for lack of cotton.

Besides working against the Government the agitators have tried, with less success, to undermine the authority of the Kabaka of Buganda, and among their demands presented to him this week was that the people be allowed to choose their own chiefs, that the unofficial representation in the native Parliament be greatly increased, that Africans be enabled to gin their own cotton, and that all controls on marketing of native produce be abolished.”

Source: ‘Communist Action in Uganda’, The Times, (28 April 1949)