ABSTRACT
IN DESCRIBING the first visit of Lugard to Buganda, Margery Perham wrote that as he (Lugard) entered the Kingdom, "he was amazed, after all he had seen of emptiness and of primitive humanity on his march, at the degree of civilization in this remote place. He marked the roads, the tall regular fences, the people's long garments of russet barkcloth or spotless imported cotton, and their dignity and respectful manners. He marched westwards parallel with the lake, through Buganda's alternation of low, grassy, flat-topped hills and its forested lowlands, descending at intervals into swamps of black mud matted with beautiful plumed papyrus and water lilies. Round each hut were the dark cloisters of the banana groves which supplied the staple food of the people.m
Travelers to Uganda are no longer forced to make the long and uneasy safari inland from the coast. Nevertheless, no matter how they travel, few can help remarking on the loveliness of the countryside, the fertile, well-watered valleys, the farms, the well-built houses, and attractive dress of the Baganda. Kampala, the capital, is equally prepossessing, built as it is upon seven hills and crowded with prosperous new commercial establishments, offices, banks, and retail stores. It exudes prosperity. And it has no "African quarter" like so many East and Central African towns. There are slums outside, such as Kisenyi or Mulago, sometimes quite fearful ones, but by and large African immigrants live there. Baganda tend to live on their estates or rented bibanja, or small holdings, and have many of the characteristics of dwellers in suburbia. Every morning large numbers of Africans commute by bicycle and bus to work in Kampala and return at night to their gardens and farms.2
