Today in History – September 22, 2024

On September 22, 1877, a pivotal historical meeting took place at Omukama Kabalega’s palace in Mparo, marking an important moment in the history of Bunyoro and the broader region. On this day, Omukama Kabalega, the influential king of Bunyoro, met with Dr. Mehmed Emin Pasha, the governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria.

Dr. Pasha had journeyed to Bunyoro with the objective of persuading Omukama Kabalega to incorporate Bunyoro into the Egyptian province of Equatoria. Despite spending 33 days in Hoima and communicating through an Arabic interpreter, Pasha faced a formidable challenge. Omukama Kabalega, though conversant in many languages including Arabic, remained resolute in his decision to reject Pasha’s proposal.

In honor of this historic meeting, a cone-shaped monument was erected at the very spot where the two leaders conversed. This monument is a key feature of the Mparo Royal Tombs, located approximately 4 kilometers from Hoima town along the Hoima-Masindi highway. The tombs are the final resting place of Omukama Kabalega and his son, Sir Tito Winyi Gafabusa. These royal burial grounds are cherished as significant historical and heritage sites of Bunyoro. Although the site has undergone renovations, plans are underway for further development with a comprehensive master plan currently being prepared.

Dr. Mehmed Emin Pasha (March 28, 1840 – October 23, 1892) was an Ottoman physician of German-Jewish descent who held the position of governor in the Egyptian province of Equatoria. Initially working in Egypt and later in Khartoum, Pasha engaged in medical practice and scientific exploration, collecting various plant and animal specimens which he sent to European museums. Recruited by Charles George Gordon, then governor of Equatoria, Pasha served as the chief medical officer and undertook diplomatic missions to Buganda and Bunyoro, during which he learned several local languages.

In 1878, following the appointment by the Khedive of Egypt, Pasha succeeded Gordon as the governor of Equatoria, receiving the title of Bey. His contributions to science are commemorated in the names of two species: the East African leptotyphlopid snake, Leptotyphlops emini, and the East African chestnut sparrow, Passer eminibey.