Today in History October 17th, 1961

Unilateral action by the Rukurato (parliament) of Bunyoro cannot alter the boundaries fixed by the laws of the country, a government statement stressed.

It was in reference to the October 16th resolutions of the Rukurato that lost counties would be recognized as having been reverted to Bunyoro by midnight October 18th, 1961.

 

Bunyoro claimed the counties originally belong to it until the colonial rulers gave it to Buganda. It also demanded them handed back before Independence Day in October 9th 1962.

The statement and another issued by the Democratic Party (DP), which was in power then, appealed to the public in both Bunyoro and Buganda to await in peace  the commission which was to inquire into the dispute and asked that nothing should be done to increase the tension.

 

Ssingo County and Bugahya County in Bunyoro had been declared disturbed areas. The government emphasized that the unilateral action by the Rukurato could have no defect on boundaries which were at the time enshrined in the law as of the Protectorate.   

 

In 1962, the chief justice of Uganda was Sir Udo Egbert Udoma. 

Sir Egbert Udo Udoma (June 21, 1917-1998) was born in the Ibibio area of Akwa Ibom State. He was an eminent lawyer and justice of the Nigerian Supreme Court. He was Chief Justice of Uganda from 1962-1969.

He spent 13 years as a judge on the Supreme Court of Nigeria and was chairman of the Constituent Assembly from 1977 to 1978.