"YOU HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED UGANDA"

by Alan Forward

A unique historical account of Uganda's recent history. A Colonial Office telegram in 1954 is the starting point of Alan Forward's career in the British Colonial Service as a young District Officer who became Private Secretary to the last Governor of Uganda, Sir Walter Coutts.

Alan Forward's book contributes to the balanced historical assessment now being made of Great Britain's Imperial involvement – led first by explorers, then by missionaries, traders and administrators.

The book is written as a series of retrospective letters to a friend in England and includes quotations from Winston Churchill's "My African Journey". Alan Forward describes the social, economic and political development of Uganda leading to independence in 1962. He meets Kabaka Mutesa II (King Freddie) and Idi Amin. After independence Alan Forward became the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, Sir Walter Coutts, who was asked by Prime Minister Milton Obote to stay on as Head of State of Uganda for a year after independence - a testimony to the excellent relations between Uganda and Great Britain.

Alan Forward describes an eight-day trek around the Mountains of the Moon (Ruwenzori), a climb up Mount Elgon, and visits to the Murchison Falls and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.