Kiggundu, Suleiman I.Lukwago, Isa K. K.2025-04-212025-04-211982Suleiman I. Kiggundu & Isa K.K. Lukwago (1982) The status of the Muslim community in Uganda, Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. Journal, 4:1-2, 120-132, DOI: 10.1080/02666958208715863DOI: 10.1080/02666958208715863https://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/11070Islam was brought to Uganda in the middle of the nineteenth century by Arab traders coming from the East African Coast and especially from the trading centre of Zanzibar. The exact date of their arrival at the palace of the Kabaka of Buganda is still a matter of dispute and a subject for further research, but all opinion is agreed that this must have been during the last" fifteen years of (King) Sunna II's reign, that is between 1839 and 1854". l The fate and fortunes of Islam at this early stage were closely tied to the palace of the Kabaka of Uganda. The first Kabaka to be most aware of the existence of an outside world and to cultivate strong trade relations with foreigners was Mutesa, the First, whose reign stretched from 1854 to 1884. Mutesa is noted to have been a very wise ruler who was very keen and able to deal with foreigners in a way that tended to strengthen his kingdom. His trade with the Arabs increased his power by strengthening his army which could now be equipped with modern arms. In addition to the assistance they gave him in modernising his army and in streamlining the administration, the Arabs also taught Mutesa the religion of Islam: Thus Mutesa came to know many Arabs and hence their religion. He began to trust them and to listen to what they taught him. As a result he began to read Islam. As he was a King of immense power, he used this power to extend Islam to all his subjects. This is why we think that Mutesa I, was the first most important cultivator of Islam in Uganda. He used power to influence people in becoming Muslims.... After the demise of Mutesa, Christianity which had been introduced by Henry Morton Stanley, started to vie for influence and converts with Islam. Durine 1888-1889, or what Sir John Gray has called" The year if the three Kings" 3 there occured a fierce struggle between the Muslims and Christians, with each party seeking to dominate Buganda society. Nevertheless, throughout this period, and until they were defeated by the Christians with the assistance of the colonising British, the Muslims''were the arbiters of the political situation'': The Muslims were by far the largest and militarily the most formidable group. They had among them several dynamic leaders. All the palace armed guards for instance were Moslems and they even used to refuse access of the King to the Prime Minister, something unheard of in Kiganda history. The desire for continuation of Muslim dominance led to pressure on successive Kabakas to ensure that they did not challenge that dominance, or allow an upperhand to the Christians. Mwanga and Kiwewa resisted conversion to Islam despite the preponderance of the Muslims among their subjects.enArticle