Separatist movement and identification documents in Toro District 1954-1982

Abstract

This study focuses on the significance of identification documents during the Rwenzururu movement in Toro district between 1954-1982. It also investigated how people navigated through and related with two state entities that sought to assert authority over them and how identification documents evolved in Toro. This study was inspired by the existence of two state entities that claimed authority over people in Toro district between 1960s and 1970s with a focus on the interplay of identification documents during the Rwenzururu movement. This study was guided by three specific objectives; to investigate the evolution of identification systems in Toro, to examine significance of identification documents during the Rwenzururu movement in Toro district and to investigate how people navigated through and related with two state entities that sought to assert authority in Toro district. A historical research design with qualitative methods was used. These included tin trunk archival documents about the Rwenzururu movement such correspondences from the District commissioners, county, sub county and parish chiefs and copies of introduction letters issued to people, copies of application forms for passports. In-depth interviews were conducted with former Rwenzururu and central government chiefs who issued the identification documents, and people who used those documents. This study established that identification documents in Toro were a means through which the Rwenzururu government and the central government sought recognition and asserted authority over people around mountains of Rwenzori. People were forced to use documents in a way that recognised the state. The meaning of identification documents depend(ed) on how they are(were) used and what they enable(d) people to make and do, but not on the material document. More so, the state-citizen relations in Toro were unique and unstable because people were compelled to hide and keep identification documents separately for their security.