Ankole (1983: Doomsday)

The **Kingdom of Ankole** (also spelled **Nkole**) is a nation in Eastern Africa.

## History

### Pre-Doomsday

The Kingdom of Nkole was an independent kingdom since the early XVII Century, like several other kingdoms in Uganda. The kingdom, however, lost independence in 1910 when the United Kingdom annexed it after a treaty. However, even after the British annexation of Nkole, the strong castal system and the differences between pastoral Hima and agricultural Iru.

The kingdom stopped being an independent administration after Idi Amin's dictatorship. However, Ankole was still considered a distinct region when the Uganda Bush War started.

### Doomsday

Although Uganda wasn't hit by any nuclear devices by itself, all help in the Uganda Bush War stopped.

### Post-Doomsday

Far less damaged that Buganda or other ex-Ugandan states, Ankole was not a center of any major conflicts throughout the war, and few Nkole people died. However, the Nkole feeling of nationalism also grew strong, and declared independence in August 10, 1985, being the last state to declare independence from Uganda.

#### Refugee Crisis

Ntare VI was crowned King of Ankole the following day. However, problems soon began to arise within the new nation; the only real source of water was Lake Edward, which was only partially controlled by Ankole, and immigration was coming at huge levels from the south, territories close to anarchy. Most immigrants were Hutu and Tutsi immigrants from Burundi and Rwanda respectively, trying to escape genocide and death in their home countries.

Ntare moved quickly in order to expulse the immigrants from his country. Recruiting a large Hima militia, Ntare moved south and expulsed the Tutsi immigrants back into the south.

#### Iru-Hima Tension

After the expulsion of most refugees back into the anarchy and the dissolution of the Hima militia, Iru communities, feeling oppressed by the Hima government, began protesting against the strong inequalities they suffered.

King Ntare, as a Hima, didn't help the Iru in their pledge, however, and tensions began to mount within the nation.

The strong amount of conflicts amounted to a conflict in early 1990 when a group of Iru protesters got hold of some of the militia's weapons and opened fire on them.

Quickly calling the militia to mobilize again, Ntare attacked several Iru towns in revolt. After the defeat of the rebels (in part thanks to Busogan help), the Ankole government agreed to make the Iru equal to the Hima, and to democratize. This new system, similar to the Ganda *federa*, also ended the rigid cast system that made interaction between people dependent on cattle, and instead made the society freer. This reforms made Ankole into one of the most democratic nations in former Uganda.

#### Kayunga War

Busoga went into war with Buganda in 1993 when a small incident between the local armies in Kayunga ended in a declaration of war by the Busogan tribal council. Ankole, in order to thank the Busogan government for their help in the conflict against the Iru, begins supporting the Busogan government without outright going to war. King Ntare, however, declared war on the Baganda government in early 1994. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as joint Baganda-Batooro forces swept into Nkole territory and soon took over Bwenyore, the Nkole capital.

A peace treaty was accorded separately with Ankole, in which said kingdom had to give both kingdoms 25% of its yearly gains in tribute up to 1998.

This made the Nkole economy collapse. By 1997, Ankole's former currency, the Nkole Dollar, had grown so devaluated that the government stopped printing more money. Officially the Busogan Pound was adopted; however, most communities just recurred to bartering.

By 2003 the situation had stabilized thanks to Busogan aid. However, the economic crisis had caused the two Ugandan states to take interest in joining the East African Community. After the normalization of relationships with the Baganda government, the two nations applied for membership in the EAC, and were swiftly accepted.

The last eight years have seen the improving of relations between Ankole and Buganda, and the improving of the Nkole economy thanks partially due to foreign aid. However, living conditions in Ankole still remain terrible due to the small water reserves and the huge amount of poverty and crime in several parts of the territory.

## Geography

Ankole's only lake is Lake Edward. This is also its only main water body and only source of water (besides importation, highly inefficient after the economic crisis) and therefore the most vulnerable part of the Nkole realm. There are few other geographic inconsistencies.

## Government

Ankole is a constitutional monarchy with the king, Ntare VI, holding the excecutive branch of government whilst a local Elders' Council holds the legislative and judicial branches. However, huge amounts of corruption in several regions of the government are large-scale reducing the efficiency of the government.

### Administrative Divisions

Ankole retains the old Ugandan districts.

### Demographics

Nearly the entire population of Ankole is ethnically Nkole (speaker of the Runyankole language), which is divided in two ethnic groups: Iru and Hima. The Iru (mostly pastoral), are the majority; however, the Hima (agricultural) have traditionally held power in Ankole. Traditionally, the society has been divided on strict caste systems depending on the amount of cattle. After the Iru rebellion, however, this differences have been mostly abolished.

#### Languages

Runyankole is one of the official languages (the other one being English) and the primary first language in Ankole, with the great majority of the population having it as the first language.

#### Religion

Nearly the entirety of Ankole professes several branches of Christianity; however, there also are people who follow the traditional religions (quickly rising), and Muslims. The Atheist community is recent, but growing quickly.

## Economy

Ankole's economy depends on agriculture and livestock. There is really no industry or services in the country.