The Bitter Bread of Exile. The Financial Problems of Sir Edward Mutesa II during his final exile, 1966 - 1969

Book excerpt: Using original sources the author weaves a number of themes into the sad personal story of Uganda's first president in his last exile, 1966-1969. The first section, chapters 1-5, highlights the social and political causes of Sir Edward Mutesa's exile. The author argues that the failure of the state to integrate into a viable political community explains the tears Ugandans have shed since independence. Sir Edward Mutesa's exile and suffering is viewed in this historical context. The second and third sections, chapters 6-12, not only describe Sir Edward Mutesa's suffering in exile in the UK, but also bring to light an aspect of British imperial history that is rarely described in historical narratives of Africa. This is the export of the British social hierarchy into the colonies. In 1966, Sir Edward Mutesa II was guaranteed entrance into the U.K and financially supported by his friends who were, mainly, titled members of the British upper class into whose ranks he was recruited by his education, socialization and collaboration in governing the Uganda colonial state. For the British lords and sirs who managed the empire, class trumped race in their dealings with African or Asian collaborators. A substantial number of his friends from this class - Lord Allan Lennox-Boyd, Edward Heath, Lord Montague, Reginald Maudling, Lord Carrington, Sir Hugh Frazer, Lord Nugent, Sir Nigel Fisher, Sir Dingle Foot, and others - showed to Sir Edward Mutesa a degree of friendship and loyalty that was amazing. These elites considered him as one of their number and supported him against the official position of the Labour Government under Harold Wilson. Supported by his titled friends, Sir Edward Mutesa tried unsuccessfully to obtain financial support from the British Labour Government.