The major cause of religious wars in Uganda was the deeply rooted traditional hostility between Muslims and Christians, significantly intensified by external pressures within the kingdom of Buganda.
Roots of Religious Conflict
The religious conflicts primarily originated from a pre-existing antagonism, specifically the traditional hostility that Muslims held towards Christianity. This underlying tension created an unstable environment ripe for conflict.
Escalation in Buganda
The situation in the Buganda kingdom was further complicated and escalated by the actions of Arab Muslims. These groups actively increased confusion and hostility within the kingdom by consistently exerting pressure on King Mwanga to expel Christian missionaries. This persistent demand for the expulsion of Christians directly fueled animosity and intensified the conflict between the two religious groups, leading to widespread warfare.
| Religious Group | Contributing Factor to Conflict |
|---|---|
| Muslims (Arab) | Traditional hostility towards Christianity; exerted pressure on King Mwanga to expel Christian missionaries. |
| Christians | Faced demands for expulsion, becoming targets of hostility and conflict. |
| King Mwanga | Under pressure from Arab Muslims to remove Christian presence, leading to an escalation of religious tensions within his kingdom. |
The direct pressure placed upon the monarch to remove Christian influence was a critical factor that transformed inherent religious differences into open, violent conflict, shaping the religious-political landscape of Buganda during this period.
