Bitatule, Daudi

[BUNYORO]

Daudi Bitatule was the first person to be baptized at Hoima, by the Rev. Nuwa Nakiwafu on October 21, 1900, and his wife, Lydia, was baptized the same day.[1] He became a sub-chief under Paulo Byabaowezi at Bugoma, holding the chieftaincy of [illegible]. Here he was well known by the Ladburys and a strong supporter of the church.[2] He was involved in the uprising of 1907 against the Baganda, and was taken off to Kampala in the chain-gang.[3] Within a year or so he went as a teacher to south Lango where at first he found the work difficult because he did not know the language.[4] Because he was literate, he eventually found his way to a chieftaincy, via a clerkship, and finally became saza chief of Kyoga County.[5] He retired to Kigaya, where he died, and was buried outside the church where his gravestone may be seen.

Louise Pirouet**

Notes(short form; see List of Sources for complete citations):

1. Hoima Baptism Register.

2. Ladbury Journals, Mrs. Ladbury, October 23, 1906.

3. Ladbury Journals, May 31, 1907.

4. Olal, 1964.

5. Masa, 1967; Obaya, 1967.

This biography, written by Louise Pirouet, was included in “Appendix A: Biographical Notes,” on page 376 of “The Expansion of the Church of Uganda (N.A.C.) from Buganda into Northern and Western Uganda between 1891 and 1914, with Special Reference to the work of African Teachers and Evangelists” (PhD Thesis: University of East Africa, 1968). Pirouet published this thesis as Black Evangelists (London: Rex Collings, 1978). However, Black Evangelists does not reproduce the detailed biographies, complete with references to sources, found in Appendix A of the thesis. Print copies are available at Africana Section, Makerere University Library (U 02 P57); The Centre for Christianity Worldwide, Cambridge; and a microfilm copy at the School of Oriental Studies, London. [information from Angus Crichton]