Inspired by the missionary travels of David Livingstone, in the 1880s, Frederick Lugard travelled to East Africa to combat the slave trade in the region. In 1890, while working for the British East Africa Company, he undertook an expedition from Mombasa to the kingdom of Buganda (now part of Uganda) to assist the deposed kabaka (king) Mwanga II.

While his father, Muteesa I, had converted to Christianity and managed to maintain a balance of power between the Muslim, Protestant and Roman Catholic factions, Mwanga was aggressive in his approach to Christian missionaries and their converts on his accession to the throne in 1884. Shortly after his accession, he instituted the death penalty for converts who refused to abandon their new faith, arranged for the assassination of the Anglican bishop James Hannington and in 1886 burned 55 Christian converts (including members of his own court) alive. These actions alarmed the Muslim and Christian factions, who rose up in revolt. In 1888, Mwanga was deposed and replaced by two of his brothers. Fleeing to the British East Africa Company, Mwanga sought their assistance in his restoration to the throne in return for the relinquishing of some of his sovereignty and his conversion to Christianity.

Although opposed to Mwanga’s actions during his reign, Britain’s intervention in Buganda was part of an imperial strategy to secure eastern Africa against the colonial aspirations of Germany. In addition to restoring Mwanga to his throne, the expedition also took the opportunity to sign treaties with other kingdoms and to construct Company forts in the region. However, soon after the conclusion of the expedition, the British East Africa Company announced it was to abandon Buganda (and neighbouring states) due to the instability. Lugard travelled to London and published this book in 1893 that argued the case for continued British involvement in the region. The work was influential in persuading the government to establish the Uganda Protectorate in 1894, which brought Buganda and neighbouring states under direct British rule. This copy was presented to Queen Victoria by Lugard in December 1893.