BUGANDA SIR,—Many will appreciate your remarks in last week's Spectator
abodt the Baganda. It will be preposterous if our Government, to save its face — the decision to deport the Kabaka was a Cabinet one—uses the detention of the Kabaka here as a bargaining lever in the present negotiations. A reading of the desired amendments of the Lukiko to the Hancock proposals would seem to require some minor adjustments, but not a period of hard bargaining. A speedy and generous response on our part would be some recom- pense for the way in which we have treated the Baganda's King. The Kabaka ought to return at once.
There is one matter which may hinder complete acceptance of the new Constitution of the whole of Uganda and that would be the appointment of an Indian Minister. If this is the intention of the British Government one hopes they will reconsider their decision. Any- one who has lived in intimate touch with the people of Uganda over a number of years knows why there would be bitter opposition to such an appointment. Besides, a principle is at stake. Uganda is to be an African State with safeguards for minorities; any safeguards which do not receive the good will of the native inhabitants of Uganda will not be safe- guards in the final event. Uganda is not a plural society, and nothing will, at any rate at this juncture, convince the Africans of Uganda that they are to share high ministerial executive posts with Indians.
One last word. During the stages of handing over Uganda to African control, there is no place now in the various government depart- ments for any of our countrymen who cannot treat Africans as colleagues and friends. The courtesy Africans receive in the Colonial Office is sometimes in marked contrast to their treatment in some government offices in Uganda. Further, a white official who is not really happy in working under an African when that stage is reached, would do well to retire. Happy relationships between black and white in these transition stages are worth a king's ransom, and would probably decide whether another nation were to join and be at home in the British Commonwealth of Nations, or not.—Yours faithfully,
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