King’s College Budo is a mixed, residential, secondary school in Central Uganda (Buganda).

Location

The school is located on Naggalabi Hill, in southern Wakiso District, off the Kampala-Masaka Road. This location lies approximately 14 km, by road, southwest of the central business district of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country.

History

The school was officially opened on 29 March 1906 with 21 boys. It was founded by His Majesty's Acting Commissioner of the Uganda Protectorate, George Wilson and the Church Missionary Society. It is one of the oldest schools in Uganda. The land on which it was built on was donated by the Kabaka of Buganda. The school was originally started a boys only school for the sons of chiefs and kings. In 1934 girls were also admitted making it a mixed-sex education school. The school has benefited from the support of Monkton Combe School in England. During the service of thanksgiving for Monkton Combe School's centenary held at St Paul's Cathedral in London in May 1968, the money donated during the collection was used to found several Monkton Combe scholarships at King's College. In late March 1979, the college staff evacuated the students and the remaining civilian population of Budo hill due to the Uganda–Tanzania War. The Libyan Armed Forces, allied with the Uganda Army at the time, subsequently set up camp at the facility. Soon after, the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) and Ugandan rebels attacked and overran the camp as part of Operation Dada Idi. About two dozen Libyans were killed and buried at a nearby mass grave. The TPDF consequently used the King's College Budo as base, and when it was reopened in June 1979, the students coexisted with the Tanzanian soldiers until the latter withdrew from Uganda.

Notable alumni

Alumni of Budo are known as Old Budonians. Old Budonians have distinguished themselves in service to Uganda and Buganda Kingdom.

Royals

Politics

Law

Diplomats and civil service

Academia

Writers