Colonial administrative systems in East Africa

Back to: BAROQUE SENIOR TWO HISTORY AND POLITICAL EDUCATION TEACHER’S GUIDE Lower Secondary Curriculum

Colonial administrative systems in East Africa By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to;

a) understand the colonial administrative systems in Uganda.
b) know the reasons why different types of colonial administrative systems were used in East Africa.
c) know the effects of direct and indirect rule used in East Africa.
d) appreciate the contribution of colonial administrative systems used in East Africa.

Keywords

• collaboration
• colonialism
• colony
• direct rule
• indirect rule
• protectorate
• resistance
• rule

Overview
This chapter equips the learners with knowledge about colonial administration in East African states. Learners will practice in various activities and tasks during the course of learning.
Teacher Preparation

• Take time to study this chapter thoroughly and understand it.
• Ensure that you have the following materials: Illustrated diagrams, Manila paper, newspaper cut-outs, and documentaries.
  Hint: Possible teaching methods may include: role-playing, brainstorming, veemapping, guided discovery, discussion, etc.
  Learning Materials: Video clips, charts, newspaper cut-outs, documentaries, field trip reports, and library sources.
  Skills: Interactivity, communication, writing, planning, organisation, photographic interpretation, analysis, critical thinking, creative thinking, categorising, and recognition.
  Teacher Instruction Using role-play introduce the learners to the concept of colonial administration systems in East Africa. Remember that some of them already have an idea about colonial administration from their previous class studies in history. Build on the knowledge and information they already have to help them to understand the topic at hand.
  Introduction
  After teaching this chapter, the learner will be able to understand the nature and the impact of colonial administrative systems on the people of East Africa. Colonial administration refers to the systems employed by the European colonisers to impose their imperial rule on East Africans. They will be able to know the types of colonial rule, and how they were used on the people of East Africa. Also, they will be able to understand the impact of colonial administrative methods used on East Africans. In order for colonialists to gain full control and maintain colonial power, they had to put in place systems of administration that would favour them to establish their influence upon East Africans. Through these systems, the coloniser was able to mobilise human and other natural resources and used different methods to administer East Africa; for example, the British used indirect rule while the Germans used direct rule. Let the learners share the experience below; Task them to ask their neighbour the following questions:
• How are school rules and regulations formulated in our school?
• How are school prefects selected in our school?
• Under what circumstances may a headteacher implement school rules and regulations directly by him/her self?
• What is the importance of using prefects to implement school rules and regulations on behalf of the school administration?
• What problems do school prefects meet in exercising their powers?
  1.1 Colonial Administrative Systems in East Africa
  

After the establishment of colonial rule in East Africa, Europeans used different methods to control,and maintain their power in East Africa. Figure 1.1: Carl Peters

Germany used direct administrative systems under the command of Carl Peters, while Britian used the indirect rule systems under
the leadership of Lord Lugard as seen in figures 1.2 and 1.3: Direct rule is where the colonial masters lived in the colony and over saw every administrative work at top level, but they appointed local people from different regions to administer fellow East Africans. For Germans, they appointed the kidas and Jumbes from the coastal regions to rule the rest of Tanganyika. for more

Indirect rule was used in Kenya and Uganda by the British, and later in 1919 when Britian took over leadership of Tanganyika, Germans used direct rule until In indirect rule, the colonial masters left the administrative work to be done by natives of the colony using local social and political structures established by the colonial master. All East African countries were once British protectorates until they attained independence. At independence time, Zanzibar and mainland Tanganyika were joined together
to form Tanzania, and their main capital was Dar es Salaam as shown in figure 1.3.

A Sketch Map of East Africa Showing the Extent of European Colonial Influence

Activity 1.1: Understanding how direct and indirect rule were applied in East Africa (Time: 80minutes)

1) Search online, and find the definition of direct and indirect administrative systems. Write them down in your notebook.
2) Using ICT or library research, draw a picture tree showing how indirect rule was applied in East African states?
3) In your country of origin, show a relationship between the current administration and the indirect rule used by the British.

Likely answers

1) Direct administrative system was a system whereby the colonies were governed by European Officials at the top position while the natives were at the bottom.

• Indirect administrative system was a system of administration where the British colonial masters adopted and utilised the traditional political institutions of the people (the chiefs) to govern the people under the guidance and control of the British government.
  2) Picture tree showing how indirect rule was applied by the British;

3) Relationship

• The element of division still exists in the current local administration like it did in the British system of indirect rule. Districts are divided into counties, sub counties, parishes and villages with leaders for each division.
• Local leaders are usually representatives of the leading government helping it to implement its policies, just like African chiefs were used to represent the British

Indirect Rule
Uganda was colonised by the British who used indirect rule. In this system, administrative authority was placed in the hands of the traditional rulers who governed on behalf of the British. The British colonial masters would pass on orders or laws to the native and traditional rulers for implementation. This system was introduced by Fredrick Lugard.
Fredrick Lugard was an agent of the Secretary for Colonial Office in London. His duty was to make laws, policies, and programs for British East African colonies. Colonial programs and orders were issued through the centre of the kingdoms. There were officers responsible for different departments, such as: tax collection, agriculture, trade, transport, health, education, police, prisons, and many others.
Under indirect rule, the rulers were left with some powers, like collecting taxes and presiding over local courts. This system only worked in centralised societies like Buganda, Tooro, and Ankole. Indirect rule was the easiest way of managing these societies, that had welcomed and collaborated with
the colonialists.

Sir Fredrick Lugard was a British soldier, explorer, and colonial administrator. He was born in January 1858 and died on April, 1945. He was the first British colonial administrator in Uganda. He is the author of ‘The Dual Mandate’, a book about indirect rule system.