SHOPS & STOPS: A CELEBRATION OF UGANDAN ASIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
THE 1972 UGANDAN ASIAN EXPULSION, SUCCESS STORIES, AND ARTISTIC LEGACY
DILAN PATEL (FOUNDER & CHIEF EDITOR @ DIL)
“Like so many other families, they’d hedged their bets, collecting passports between them like stamps. They never expected to have to rely on any of it.”
~ Neema Shah (2021)
CONFUSING PASSPORTS
As I prep for a trip to Mumbai, I come to an understanding that travel has previously meant hardship for my predecessors. A few nights ago, I was arranging my suitcase.
I was also checking all documentation, accepting my occasional forgetfulness. I flipped through the blank pages of my brand-new passport, searching for my identity and planning possibilities. ‘London,’ read my birthplace. Yet, my roots extend beyond the bustling capital.
Kitgum and Masaka were my mother’s and father’s birthplaces, respectively. And, at just 4 years of age, my mother was embroiled in an unforgettable event.
Uganda and Britain illustrate two important stops on my family’s journey.
On both sides, entrepreneurship has been commonplace, in each nation. Moreover, my dad’s knack for business, alongside my mum’s love for poetry, means that a written celebration of Ugandan Asian entrepreneurship is almost ideal.
But first, let’s return to the 1890s.
SOUTH ASIAN PRESENCE IN UGANDA
In the 1890s, over 30,000 workers were moved, from British India to Africa, to construct the Uganda Railway in Mombasa. Then, Britain governed the nation under the Protectorate of Uganda. As part of imperialist policy, South Asians served as intermediaries.
Karachi-based agent, Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, was awarded a contract to provide labour, and, in 1895, construction began. Six years later, British Uganda housed over 6,500 South Asians.
SOUTH ASIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN UGANDA
Over time, the British invested more in the education of South Asians, unfairly leaving natives behind. As a result, Ugandan Asians became prosperous, excelling in the sartorial, retail, and banking sectors.
Africa’s trade opportunities, alongside food shortages in India, made Uganda an attractive settlement prospect for South Asians, where many established efficient and market-disrupting ‘dukas’.
THE UGANDAN ASIAN EXPULSION OF 1972
Milton Obote pioneered Uganda’s independence from Britain in 1962. Post-empire, Ugandan Asians were earning one-fifth of the country’s national income, despite constituting 1% of the population. These discernible statistics led to Indophobia amongst native Ugandans, and sparked support for Obote’s ‘Africanisation’ rhetoric.
On 25th January 1971, Idi Amin, then commander-in-chief of the Ugandan army, staged a coup d’état to displace Obote’s government. That October, Amin declared a census of Uganda’s Asian population, stereotyping the minority as disloyal, non-cooperative, and commercially criminal.
In August 1972, the President of Uganda, Idi Amin, declared the expulsion of his country’s South Asian minority, giving 90 days to leave. He accused the group of “sabotaging the economy and encouraging corruption,” warning that remaining individuals would be imprisoned. Roughly 50,000 were British passport holders. My mother was one. Motivations for Amin’s decision remain unclear to this day. Some historians claim Amin was seeking revenge against the British government, whilst others allude to a failed relationship with a woman of Asian descent.
It was brutal. Accounts posted by the Action for Fundamental Change and Development (AFFCAD), a non-profit organisation, are harrowing.
One refugee, for example, struggled to accept a loss of fortune. Partitioned from his loved ones, he escaped to Britain for a new life. “Indeed, at one point, we were stopped by soldiers holding guns and told to step out of the taxi with our hands behind our heads…” recounts the refugee.
The redistribution of Ugandan Asian wealth was termed ‘Operation Mafuta Mingi’, where Amin imposed restrictions on the sale of private enterprises. Asians accounted for 90% of the country’s tax revenues, and so, there would be enduring economic destruction ahead.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIVE UGANDANS
Amin’s policies were catastrophic for native Ugandans, drawing worldwide condemnation and outrage.
The dictator failed to establish a strategy for both acquired enterprises and native skill development, damaging the nation’s reputation. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined fast, and diplomacy ceased. Human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, formed much of the regime.
Though the entire toll is unknown, the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva offers an estimate of 300,000 deaths.
Numerous native Ugandans gave up their lives for South Asian rights, and such courage must be revered. Idi Amin’s regime serves as a reminder of dictatorship’s dangers for mankind, regardless of ethnic background.
SOUTH ASIAN ARRIVALS TO REFUGES
I, like my parents, hold a British passport because of the everlasting efforts of our ancestors, prior to 1972. Neither the Labour or Conservative parties were insistent on welcoming the British passport holders. In Britain, the 1968 Commonwealth Immigration Act outlined a quota of 3,000. It was clear that the influx from Uganda would exceed this, causing concern.
Eventually, Britain intervened with three strategies; receiving families at airports, allocating temporary accommodation, and persuading newcomers to settle in ‘green’ resource-abundant areas.
Roughly 27,000 emigrated to the United Kingdom. Other victims settled in Canada, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and America. Aided by Edward Heath’s Ugandan Resettlement Board, the first chartered flight, of 193 refugees, landed at Stansted Airport in September 1972.
Newcomers were lovingly greeted by the socially enlightened.
Adapting to an alien environment still proved tough. According to Gal Dem’s survey of 84 respondents, 74.7% of Ugandan Asians state that they still suffer from trauma and undiagnosed PTSD. Right-wing organisations, such as the National Front, coordinated several campaigns against the large immigration wave. The efforts of anti-racists were greatly appreciated by the Ugandan Asian community.
A few years earlier, Enoch Powell had delivered his infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, criticising the proposed Race Relations Act. Heading into the 1980s, South Asians were scapegoated and regular subjects of hate crimes, aggravated by Thatcherist policies and rising unemployment. This is England is an excellent movie, detailing polarising views amongst skinheads, and onslaughts against Asians. Both my mother and father have been spat on by skinhead and labelled a ‘paki’.
UGANDAN ASIAN SUCCESS STORIES (POST-EXPULSION)
Ugandan Asian success stories include Rumi Verjee, the founder of Domino’s Pizza in Britain, Shriti Vadera, the first woman to head a major bank (Santander), and Nik Kocheta, the pioneer of Morningside Pharmaceuticals. Beyond Britain, entrepreneurs, such as Daulat Sthanki, have leveraged their Ugandan-bred expertise.
Such success is attributed to transferable skills, fluency in English, networks, an emphasis on personal responsibility, and resilience. In addition, the daily pressure of race-based menace moulded diamonds and sustained humility.
ARTISTIC LEGACY OF THE UGANDAN ASIAN EXPULSION
The Ugandan Asian expulsion is widely documented in cinema, music, arts, and literature, with critical acclaim.
Charas, released in 1976, detailed the turmoil of escaping expulsion’s peril. The Last King of Scotland, released in 2006, portrayed Idi Amin’s dictatorship from the perspective of a Scottish doctor, grossing $48.4 million on a $6 million budget. Neema Shah’s novel, Kololo Hill, is split into two parts, based in Uganda and England respectively. It features Asha and Pran’s emotional uproar whilst moving from a middle-class life, to a warzone, and then to survival in a strange land. Moreover, The Yellow Bicycle, a National Archives story narrated by Chandrika Joshi, has similar sentimental appeal.
Rupal Rajani’s ‘Uganda to UK Archive’, is admirable too. In preparation for the expulsion’s 50th anniversary in 2022, Rajani collaborated with Sabras Radio and Belgrave Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing Association, to explore her Ugandan Asian heritage.
THE FUTURE OF SOUTH ASIAN ENTREPENEURSHIP IN UGANDA
In 1986, Yoweri Museveni assumed power in Uganda, and influenced thousands of South Asians to return. “Gujaratis have played a lead role in Uganda’s social and industrial development,” he stated.
Such policies have shaped the success of tycoons such as Sudhir Ruperalia, flexing a net-worth of $800 million. During residency in Uganda, he has noticed that native Ugandans are now shop-keepers and farm owners. As of 2016, Ugandan Asians made up 65% of taxation revenues, a 25% drop-off from 1972. Despite hazy concerns over labour exploitation, the positive statistic mirrors the optimistic outlook of natives.
The Ugandan government must continue to promote societal cohesion and equal opportunities. Only then will the incentive for nationalistic politics disappear for good.
HOME, HARMONY AND CONCLUSIONS
On 19th February 2024, the application deadline for the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme passed. This smart initiative enabled Brits to sponsor and support Ukrainian refugees going through their darkest times. It’s probable that more refugee crises will occur in the future.
Wars and divisions continue to pervade our society. Irrespective of immigration policy, leaders of nations must practice power with empathy, when assisting vulnerable groups. Stunning stories are there for the making. The records of Ugandan Asian expulsion and entrepreneurial triumph are remarkable, demonstrating a human being’s vast capabilities amidst adversity.
Finally, South Asian diaspora is evidently complex. Our histories entail clues, designed to be discovered, and discussed for generations.
REFERENCES
Brown, T. (2022). Ugandan Asians: 50 Years Since Their Expulsion From Uganda. House of Lords Library, 31 August. Available at: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/ugandan-asians-50-years-since-their-expulsion-from-uganda/
Chaudhary, D. R. (2024). Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Hails Role of Indians in Building Country’s Economy. The Economic Times, 24 January. Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/India/Ugandan-President-Yoweri-Museveni-Hails-Role-Of-Indians-In-Building-Countrys-Economy/Articleshow/107041598.cms?utm_source=Contentofinterest&UTM_medium=Text&UTM_campaign=Cppst
Dattani, M. (2022). How Tracing My Ugandan-Asian Heritage Has Helped Me Connect With My Roots. Condé Nast Traveller, 30 November. Available at: https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-tracing-my-ugandan-asian-heritage-has-helped-me-connect-with-my-roots
Dawood, F. (2016). After Exile, a Prosperous Return to Uganda. BBC Worklife, 11 April. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160411-a-prosperous-return-to-uganda
Fulford, L. (2023). A Moment That Changed Me: 50 Years After My Grandparents Were Expelled From Uganda, I Visited Their Old Home. The Guardian, 18 October. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/18/a-moment-that-changed-me-5o-years-after-my-grandparents-were-expelled-from-uganda-i-visited-their-old-home
Mamdani, M. (1993). The Ugandan Asian Expulsion: Twenty Years After. Journal of Refugee Studies, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 265–273. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/6.3.265
Nasar, S. (2022). When Uganda Expelled Its Asian Population in 1972, Britain Tried to Exclude Them. New Lines Magazine, 12 August. Available at: https://newlinesmag.com/essays/when-uganda-expelled-its-asian-population-in-1972-britain-tried-to-exclude-them/
Peters, E. (2020). Out of Africa: The Fall and Rise of Uganda’s Asian Community. South China Morning Post, 23 August. Available at: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3098390/out-africa-fall-and-rise-ugandas-asian-community
Uche, C. (2017). The British Government, Idi Amin and the Expulsion of British Asians from Uganda. International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, Volume 19, Issue 10, pp. 1–19. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316945722_The_British_Government_Idi_Amin_and_the_Expulsion_of_British_Asians_from_Uganda
Ved, M. (Unknown). How the Ugandan Asians Turned From Adversity to Success. Commonwealth Journalists Association. Available at: https://commonwealthjournalists.org/2024/03/01/how-the-ugandan-asians-turned-from-adversity-to-success/
Vithlani, M. (2022). How Ugandan Asians Are Keeping Their History Alive, 50 Years After Expulsion From Their Homes. Gal Dem, 4 August. Available at: https://gal-dem.com/ugandan-asian-expulsion-leicester-anniversary/
Whitehead, M. (2018). Only in America: How a Ugandan Refugee Became a Louisiana Success Story. HIAS, 13 February. Available at: https://hias.org/news/only-in-america-how-a-ugandan-refugee-became-a-louisiana-success-story/
