Railways as Sites of Identity Formation and Creation: Gender, Race, and Labour Hierarchies in Jinja
Abstract
This paper examines the experiences of former railway workers in Jinja-Busoga, Uganda, and explores how they were treated and the memories of their life experiences. This paper examines identity formation and negotiation in colonial railways in East Africa, specifically the Kenya Uganda Railways (KUR) and East African Railways and Harbours (EAR&H), a branch in the Jinja-Busoga region. This study used in-depth interviews with former railway workers and their family members in Jinja district, Busoga region, to collect personal narratives and first-hand accounts of their experiences. It also involved archival research at the Uganda National Archival Centre situated in Nakasero, Kampala. Findings indicate that while colonial discourse advertised railways as catalysts for socio-economic development and modernisation, this narrative obscured the complex power dynamics and social hierarchies that underpinned railway labour. The paper reveals that colonial authorities institutionalised racial and gendered divisions within the railway workforce, with Europeans occupying positions of privilege, Asians serving as intermediaries, and Africans relegated to subordinate roles and strenuous labour tasks. These power dynamics shaped the lived experiences of former railway workers, influenced collective identities, and informed labour resistance. Gendered dimensions of railway labour were unearthed, demonstrating how employment in this sector discriminated against women and disrupted family life. The study concludes that the KUR and EAR&H were complex institutions where issues of race, identity, and gender were contested and shaped. While these railways facilitated the extraction of resources and movement of European goods, they also institutionalised inequality through racially biased recruitment, wage systems, and gendered labour practices. The study recommends: Acknowledging historical injustices in labour policy, integrating colonial history into education, informing wider discussions based on the East African context, and supporting community-led historical projects related to this phenomenon
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