Bombo: Home of Ugandan Nubians
Ugandan Nubians are descendants of Sudanese military recruits who entered Uganda in the late nineteenth century as part of the British colonial army. They were employed to suppress popular revolts in Uganda.
After the fall of Amin’s regime Nubians have become a dispersed urban population, tolerated by Ugandans, but not trusted, due to their role under Amin’s murderous regime.
They are Muslims, and the elders still speak Sudanese Arabic. The younger generations adopted Kinubi, a mix of Arabic and Buganda.
A 1991 census estimated the population of Ugandan Nubians to be 15.000, most of them residing in Bombo, where the colonial government originally settled the Nubian soldiers.
Ahmad Mahmoud visited Bombo in November 2012, to capture the life of the Ugandan Nubians there:
