Home Blog Page 13

Former Kenya president Moi dies at 95

0

Former Kenya president Daniel Arap Moi who ruled the country from 1978 to 2002 has died at Nairobi Hospital in the capital at the age of 95 years.
Moi’s death was announced was announced by Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta who also declared a period of national mourning and said Mr. Moi would receive a state funeral. The President did not clarify on the cause of his death.

Mr. Moi became Kenya’s president in 1978, 15 years after the country had acquired independence from Britain in 1963. He became president following the death of Jomo Kenyatta, the country’s founding father who had handpicked Moi for vice president.

Unlike his predecessor (Kenyatta) who governed behind closed doors, Mr. Moi’s leadership saw him traveling the country trying to unite its divided ethnic and tribal groups hence gaining wide popularity. He introduced free milk for children and fought hard to stop the endemic graft and to elevate Kenya’s struggling tourism-and-agriculture sector. His anticommunist policies won him huge Western support during the Cold War.

Moi was widely criticized for suppressing the opposition in Kenya and forming a single-party state that characterized his 24-year dictatorial reign. His critics accused him for putting his face on the bank notes, ordering his portrait to hang in offices and shops, using national resources to enrich his family and tribal cronies and stashing billions of Kenya’s money in overseas banks.
During his presidency, Moi won five successive elections including 3 times when he was unopposed in 1979, 1983 and 1988. He exercised absolute power as the head of government and sometimes he could dismiss judges and other officials despite the post-independence constitution vesting such authority in a National Assembly.

According to reports from United Nations, Amnesty International and Africa Watch, Moi was accused of controlling the news media, police and military services, closing universities and suppressed his opponents with detentions, torture and killings.

In 1982, some 2,100 low-ranking air force officials attempted an unsuccessful coup against Moi’s government due to rampant corruption, abuse of power and a deteriorating economy. Moi ordered for the arrest of the entire team, imprisoning and executing hundreds. Shaken by the attempted coup, Moi ordered all civil servants to join the ruling political party which he presided over as president.
Investigations carried out after Moi had stepped down as president found that his family and allies had received as much as $4 billion from his government, the biggest fraud in Kenya’s history.
In 2002, Moi was barred from running for presidency by the constitution and he subsequently agreed to hand over power in a rare smooth transfer on the continent by then. Although Moi supported Uhuru Kenyatta, a son of Jomo Kenyatta in the elections, they were won by his long-term opponent Mwai Kibaki who had lost to him in 1992 and 1997. In a surprise U-turn, Mr. Moi supported later supported Kibaki’s re-election in the following polls.

After his retirement, more evidence about corruption and human rights abuses were found by his successors than had been expected. Although corruption inquiries implicated him and his family, Mr. Moi was never prosecuted even when Kenya found $1 billion in stolen funds overseas in 2003. Others in Mr. Moi’s administration were pursued but he was spared and treated as an elder statesman.

Who was Moi?

Moi was born to Toroitich Arap Moi on Sept 2, 1924 in Kuriengwo, a Rift Valley village in western Kenya. Moi lost his father who was a herdsman when he was just four years. Moi’s family originated from the minority tribe of the Kalenjin.
He attended the Africa Mission School at Kabartonjo from where he became a Christian and adopted the name Daniel. He graduated as teacher from Kapsabet Teacher Training College and he taught classes from 1945 to 1947 before he became headmaster of a government school.
In 1950, Moi married Helena Bommet with whom they had five sons and two daughters and another adopted daughter.

Mr. Moi joined politics in 1955 when he was appointed by the British to the Colonial Legislative Council. Two years later, he was elected to the council when black Kenyans were allowed to vote. He joined a London conference in 1960 that drew up a Kenyan constitution authorizing African political parties. He was later elected assistant treasurer of the new Kenya African National Union (KANU). KANU later merged with Moi’s founded party, Kenya African Democratic Union to become the sole political party in the country.
Mr. Moi was appointed by Mr. Kenyatta as minister of home affairs in the new government in 1964 and later vice president in 1967.

2019 Corruption Perceptions Index: How is Uganda faring?

0

Uganda has been ranked 137th out of 180 countries on the 2019 corruption perceptions index published by Transparency International. This means that Uganda is the 43rd most corrupt country in the world considering 180 countries that have been ranked.

Being ranked 137th out of 180 countries in 2019 indicates that Uganda has registered some slight improvement in the corruption perceptions index having been ranked 149th in the previous year (2018).

On the list, Uganda scored 28 points, which are clearly below the global average rate of 43 points according to Transparency International indicating that the country is still falling short in its progress to overcome corruption.

How do other countries in the region perform?

The corruption perception index of 2019 shows that countries in the East African region in general are not doing well at all as far as corruption is concerned.

Rwanda came on top of the rest of other countries in the region scoring 53 points, 10 points above the global average rate and ranked 51st out of the 180 ranked countries. Tanzania scored 37 points and in in 96th position, Kenya is tied with Uganda at 28 points and in the same position of 137. Burundi came 165th with 19 points, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in 168th position with 18 points while South Sudan was ranked lowest in the region with 12 points and in 179 position.

At continent level, Seychelles came as the best country in Africa on the list in the 27th position globally with 66 points, Botswana is the second-best on the continent and 34th globally with 61 points. Other countries on the continent that are performing relatively well include Cape Verde (41st with 58 points), Mauritius and Namibia both with 52 points in the 56th position while South Africa was ranked 70th with 44 points.

As expected, it is still African countries that came at the bottom of the rankings indicating a very high degree of corruption in such countries. Five of the last 10 countries on the list are African countries with Somalia sitting at the bottom with only 9 points meaning that it is the most corrupt country in the world among the 180 ranked countries. Somalia is followed by South Sudan in the 179th position with 12 points while Sudan and Equatorial Guinea are both tie in the 173rd position with 16 points each. Libya, Guinea Bissau, Congo and Chad are also among the last countries on the list.

Internationally, Denmark and New Zealand are on top of the list both ranked first as the least corrupt countries in the world with 87 points each followed by Finland in the third with 86 points. Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland are all fourth with 85 points while Norway and Netherlands are 7th and 8th with 84 and 82 points respectively. Germany and Luxembourg complete the top 10 with 80 points each.

World-leading economies like the U.S and China do not score so high in the rankings the U.S coming 23rd on the list, the same position with France with 69 points while China falling far behind in the 80th position with 41 points level with four other countries including Benin, Ghana, India and Morocco.

The Sub-Saharan region of Africa was given an average score of 32 points and it is the lowest among all the global regions followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia with 35 points.

Key factors

According to Transparency International, the body that publishes the corruption perceptions index annually, corruption thrives in countries where big money is allowed to flow freely into electoral campaigns and where governments listen only to the voices of wealthy or well-connected individuals.

“The Corruption Perceptions Index 2019 reveals a staggering number of countries are showing little or no improvement in tackling corruption. Our analysis also suggests that reducing big money in politics and promoting inclusive political decision-making are essential to curb corruption.” Reads part of the statement published by the Transparency International.

Recommendations

Some of the measures recommended by Transparency International in order to end corruption include; managing conflicts of interest, controlling political financing, and strengthening electoral integrity. Others include regulating lobbying activities, tackling preferential treatment, empowering citizens, and reinforcing checks and balances.

Uganda on alert as locusts approach from Kenya

0

Since the end of last year, locusts have invaded East Africa and the invasion has been considered the biggest in 25 and 70 years in Ethiopia and Kenya respectively.

According to environment experts, the billions of locusts that are swarming though the region are a result of the recent extreme weather swings and could turn catastrophic if the pace and the numbers at which they are approaching are not retarded.

Since November last year, dense clouds of locusts have been seen spreading from Ethiopia and Somalia and now into Kenya in what is regarded now as the region’s worst infestation in decades.

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one swam in Kenya was estimated at around 2,400 square kilometers (930 square miles) that could contain up to 200 billion locusts with each destroying its own weight in food every day in consumption.

According to FAO, this locusts’ invasion is the biggest in Ethiopia and Somalia in 25 years while it’s the biggest in Kenya in 70 years. The organization warns that if unchecked, locusts numbers could increase 500 times by the middle of this year spreading to neighboring countries like Uganda and South Sudan becoming a plague that will destroy both crops and pasture causing catastrophic problems in the already vulnerable region.

Guleid Artan, an expert from the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) warns that this could lead “a major food security problem”, as he spoke to the press in Nairobi. He said that the locusts were the latest symptom of extreme climate conditions that saw 2019 start with a drought and end with one of the wettest seasons in four decades in some parts where floods killed hundreds of people across the region.

According to FAO, the current invasion is known as an “upsurge” and when the entire region gets affected and the disaster gets worse and cannot be contained for over a year or more, it would turn into a “plague” of locusts.

Since the beginning of the 1900s, there have been six major desert locust plagues and the last happened between 1987 and 1989 while the last major upsurge was in 2003 to 2005.

Mr Artan said the invasion had come after a year of extremes which say the East Africa coast hit by eight cyclones, the highest in a single calendar year since 1976. This was due to a warmer Western Indian Ocean, a climate condition known as the Indian Ocean Dipole which has conversely led to severe drought in Australia that is experiencing its own extremes: bushfires, hail and dust storms.

“We know East Africa is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. We know this region will see more extremes,” warned Artan.

In Kenya, since the massive swarms entered in December, they have torn through pastureland in the north and central of the country. farmers in these regions were a bit lucky that their crops had already matured or been harvested by the time of the locust invasion, however, herders paid the bigger cost as vegetation for their animals is consumed by the destructive aliens. Unfortunately, pastoralists were just emerging from three years of drought and the recovery from such a long dry spell usually takes them up to five years.

Experts further warn that if locusts are not brought under control by the start of the next planting and rainy season, around March, farmers could see their crops decimated.

UNEB releases 2019 PLE results

0

The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) has released the results of last year’s Primary Leaving Examinations. The results indicate an improved general performance compared to the previous year (2018) while in terms of gender, male candidates performed better than their female counterparts.

English and Social Studies were the best done subjects while candidates struggled in Mathematics and Science. As usual, cases of exam malpractice were reported and UNEB is still withholding results of 1,512 candidates as investigations are carried out.

UNEB Executive Secretary Dan Odongo said that schools whose results are withheld will be notified through their district inspectors of schools.

According to Mr Odongo, candidates who sat for last year’s PLE were 695,804 in total from 13,475 centers. Of these, 473,893 (68.2%) were from schools under the Universal Primary Education program while 221,912 were from private schools.

The PLE results of 2019 were read by the First Lady and Minister of education Janet Museveni at Kampala Parents School on Friday. The Minister was presented the results in a thick booklet by UNEB Chairperson Mary Okwakol.

Ms. Okwakol said that literacy has generally improved among the pupils as reported by the examiners and added that more learners will continue to join post-primary institutions and clarified that no exam papers leaked to candidates before last year’s exams.

“The correct position is that no papers leaked. The papers which were circulated were fake, I appeal to the media to always report correctly.” She said.

The Minister said that she was pleased with the increased literacy levels in the country but criticized the practice of charging parents pre-registration exam fees by schools which said is unfair and must stop.

“This practice of giving pre-registration examinations must stop. All children who go to school must have the opportunity to sit for the final exams. Media, you can help us in this area to inform the public that this practice must stop.” She said.

Meanwhile, the Minister also sounded a serious warning to those who engage in exam malpractice and called upon all stakeholders to step and stop it. Examiners revealed that during the course of marking exams they found disturbing expressions inside some scripts written by candidates such as; ‘This is not the paper we are to do’ and ‘This is not our examination.’

Such scripts were likely from candidates who had received fake exam papers before the final day of the exam. Mr Odongo said that many “gullible” schools engaged in buying these papers and used them to teach candidates overnight on the eve of the examination. He said that the culprits are waiting court action.

So far, 61 suspects have been arrested and charged with cases relating to exam malpractice and the major ones include external assistance given to candidates by third parties inside examination rooms.

Mrs. Museveni called upon the media to join hands with other stakeholders to fight the vice of exam malpractice and underlined that the “corrupt and fraudulent actions” of teachers involved might have caused the affected candidates to fail, adding that it is a sign of “serious inadequacies in teaching”.

“UNEB wishes to warn that from now on, the perpetrators of examination malpractice will be hunted down and brought to book,” warned Odongo. The body says that their examination security will accord a fair hearing to all the candidates whose exams are withheld and those who will be cleared will have their results released.

“After the hearings are concluded, the board will publish in the media the list of schools and districts from which results will have been cancelled.” Said Odongo.

In numbers

The number of candidates sitting for PLE has been increasing by an average of 2.4% over the last five years according to Mr. Odongo. Another significant trend is that more girls than boys have been registered for PLE in the same period with last year figure indicating that 359,764 (51.7%) girls compared to 336,040 (48.3%) boys.

Subject performance

Candidates registered improved performance in SST and English at distinction level while pass level rose in Science but with dropped performance at distinction level.

“In both English and Mathematics, performance was poor in questions where candidates were required to apply knowledge in problem solving situations or express themselves freely. Candidates were more comfortable with questions that are direct and based on recall. This situation has persisted over the years.” Said Odongo.

On the positive side, candidates registered an improvement in their handwriting and presentation of work. There was a big reduction in the number of candidates scoring no mark at all compared to previous years.

Generally, last year’s candidates performed better than their counterparts of 2018 in divisions 1,2 and 3. A total of 617,150 candidates have qualified to join post-primary institutions compared to 599,593 in 2018.

New O level curriculum set to begin this academic year

0

The National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) has kicked off the printing of the revised text books for the new curriculum and advised that schools have got 3 weeks to stock the new instructional materials

According to plans from the Ministry of education, the new O’level curriculum will be implemented this academic year. The new curriculum involves implementing the new subjects that were introduced and phasing out those that were dropped from the syllabus.

According to the Ministry of education time table, schools are scheduled to open for first term on 3 February meaning that they have less than 20 days to procure the new materials. Head of secondary school curriculum at NCDC, Mr. Christopher Muganga says that they have begun with printing Senior One textbooks and other classes will follow later. Continuing students will not be affected by the new arrangements according to NCDC.

“Students joining Senior One this year will be the pioneers of the new curriculum. Textbooks for the rest of O’level classes will be printed gradually as the pioneers are promoted to the next classes,” said Muganga.

The Ministry of education will distribute free sample textbooks for starters to both government-aided and private schools though the Ministry will only cater for compulsory subjects like mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and political education for the latter. The schools will be expected to buy the textbooks after that.

In addition to the compulsory ones, private schools will also be required to buy Kiswahili textbooks since the language is going to be compulsory in both Senior One and Senior Two.

What is in the new curriculum?

Opposed to the current system that has been focusing on passing exams, the new curriculum focuses on student-centered learning. The curriculum emphasizes generic skills including, problem solving, critical thinking, ICT proficiency, mathematical computation, and communication.

In the new curriculum, the number of subjects taught at O’level has been reduced from 43 to 21 with a reduction also in the content taught while some have been combined. The new curriculum embraces and integrates into various subjects common social issues like human rights, climate change, patriotism, HIV/AIDS, and gender.

New study mechanism

In the new curriculum, a student will study a maximum of 12 subjects at both Senior One and Senior Two of which 11 will be compulsory. At Senior Three and Four, a student will study a maximum of 9 subjects of which 7 are compulsory.

Reduced study time

The new curriculum starts with reduced study time with classroom teaching time cut down to five hours a day. Lessons will start at 8:30am and end at 2:30pm with lunch breaks. From 2:30pm to 4:30pm, students will be engaged in hands-on projects, research, games and sports, clubs and also carryout revision on their own.

New grading system

On assessment, all the co-curricular activities including classroom works, and games and sports will be taken into consideration and account for 20 per cent of the marks at the end of O’level cycle. Other subjects offered will account for 80 percent at the Uganda Certificate of Education.

Uganda named among top destinations to visit in 2020

0
attractions

US publisher The New York Times has named Uganda among the top destinations to visit in 2020 in its article entitled “52 places to go in 2020.” The travel magazine has ranked Uganda as the 30th best destination to visit on the list of 52 other destinations worldwide describing Uganda as a primates’ capital and birder’s paradise.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the Southwest of the country is mentioned in the article as a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary that hosts roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas.

The article points out that the resurrection of the country’s carrier, Uganda Airlines last summer is helping to make its rich wildlife to become more accessible moving away from the shadow of Kenya and Tanzania that were previously the preferred destinations in the region for safaris

Here is what The Times wrote about Uganda

“A primates’ capital and birder’s paradise becomes more accessible”.

“Landlocked in east-central Africa, Uganda has long been in the shadow of Kenya, Tanzania and other countries more popular with visitors on safari. But the “Pearl of Africa,” with its own rich wildlife, is set to become more accessible, thanks to the resurrection last summer of the country’s national carrier, Uganda Airlines. Uganda is one of the world’s primate capital capitals, with 15 species (four of which are endangered) and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, in southwestern Uganda, is home to roughly half the world’s mountain gorillas. The park’s gorilla-trekking safaris limit contact to eight visitors per gorilla group per day, and proceeds from their trekking permits go toward conservation efforts and protecting the animals from poachers. The dense forest mountain park, which ranges in elevation between 3,810 feet and 8,880 feet, also features a scenic waterfall trail framed by ancient ferns and wild orchids, and is a birder’s paradise, with 350 species of forest birds.” Read the statement.

Other African countries on the list

Other African countries than made it on this list include Lesotho that was recommended to travelers for adventurous experiences, Egypt was pointed out for the Grand Egyptian Museum that is being built in addition to her ancient sites lie the tombs and the Pyramids of Giza. Others include Kenya for her beautiful volcanic mountain views, rich wildlife and glaciers that are steadily disappearing while Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa was mentioned as a 2020 World Capital of Culture and Tourism.

The top 10 destinations on the list include the US capital Washington DC that came in the first position, followed by British Virgin Island, Rurrenabaque in Bolivia, Greenland, and Kimberly Region in Australia. Others are Paso Robles, Calif, Sicily Island, Salzburg, Austria, Japan capital Tokyo and Caesarea, Israel.

The major highlights of 2019 in Uganda

0

As we close the year 2019, it is not bad to reflect on some of the major issues that have transpired within the year. Like as other years, 2019 has also seen a variety of happenings, both good and bad, and here are those that have stood out.

Heavy and destructive rains

Unlike 2018, that was majorly hot, 2019 tried to come in with a bit of relief though in the end it turned out to be extreme. The heavy downpour the country received towards the end of the year has left some serious damages in some parts of the country including loss of lives and property. Over 30 people were confirmed to have died due to landslides and running water in districts like Bududa and Bundibugyo. Other areas including in the capital Kampala were heavily affected by flooding.

Joshua Cheptegei’s double triumph

Cheptegei won gold in the senior men’s 10,000 men’s race at the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championship in Aarhus, Denmark and repeated the feat at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Halimah Nakaayi also won gold in the women’s 800m race in Qatar hence combining with Cheptegei to lift the Ugandan flag higher.

Death of professor Apollo Nsibambi

On May 28, Uganda lost her 8th Prime Minister Prof Apollo Robin Nsibambi who died at the aged 78 years. Nsibambi was an academic and politician and served as Uganda’s 8th Prime Minister between April 1999 and May 2011. Nsibambi was described as a well-intentioned man who served his country to best of his ability.

Continued murders and kidnaps

As the case was in 2018, Ugandans have gone through 2019 with fear and suspicion due to the continued murders and kidnaps in the country. Several people both of high and low profile have been murdered including business men and woman, boda-boda cyclists, among others. The major threat facing Ugandans on this note is the failure of security agencies to identify and arrest the criminals and bring them to justice.

Continued political drama

As the country heads into presidential and parliamentary elections in 2021, the political scene in Uganda is increasingly becoming tense. The opposition, this time led by the People Power pressure group under the leadership of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has continued to give government sleepless nights. Both the government and the opposition have stepped up their preparations for the elections with the latter appointing mobilizers in every part of the country as their leader Bobi Wine prepares to kickoff countrywide consultations regarding his bid to stand for presidency in 2021.

Closure of Uganda-Rwanda border

In March, Rwanda announced the closure of her border with Uganda at Gatuna, over claims of rehabilitation though it later emerged that that it was due to the poor relationship between the two countries. Kigali accuses Kampala of illegally arresting and detaining its nationals among other offences and on the other hand Kampala also claims that Kigali interferes with the national security of Uganda. Following the increased tension between the two countries, Rwanda decided to close the border to heavy trucks plus stopping the Rwanda citizens from moving to Uganda claiming that their safety while in Uganda is at stake. Several attempts have been made to restore the good relationship between the two countries including roundtable talks that are still ongoing and there is hope that they will finally strike a good deal. People from both sides especially traders have been heavily affected by this broken relationship while some have been killed while trying to cross forcefully into either sides.

Trump impeachment

On international scene, the impeachment of US President Donald Trump by the House of Representatives has stood out of all international stories. Trump was impeached following a phone call he made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanding him to investigate the the company run by the son of his political opponent Joe Biden while threatening to withhold aid from Ukraine if the president doesn’t do so. this was interpreted as abuse of office by the Democrats who started the impeachment process right away. Trump became just the third president in the history of US to be impeached. He now faces trial in the senate and he will be confident that he will remain in office since the senate is dominated by his fellow Republicans who are expected to stand by him when the trial starts.

Why are transport fares in Uganda hiked during the Christmas season?

0

It has become a norm in Uganda that transport charges are hiked every Christmas season. Though this practice is applauded by the transport operators who tend to make supernormal profits during the season, it leaves many passengers decrying it.

Unlike in some African countries like Rwanda where the method of payment for transport fares has been automated and the charges remain the same regardless of the season, Ugandans are still open to exploitation at the hands of this manual transport system.

In this season you find that transport charges to different destinations especially those upcountry double or triple the normal prices with passengers required to pay as high as Shs 100,000 from the normal price of Shs 40,000 for a trip from the capital Kampala to Bwindi in the southwest of the country. Fares always start rising a week before Christmas with each day that passes seeeing an increment from the previous day’s charges.

Although the affected people have tried to raise their voices over too much exploitation by the transport operators, such voices have fallen on deaf ears as the operators have also come out to justify their reasons for hiking the transport fares.

The reasons put forward by transport operators in Uganda for hiking transport fares during Christmas season include the following;

Surge in the number of upcountry travelers in the Christmas season

It is always a norm among Ugandans who are city dwellers to travel back to their villages during Christmas to spend the holiday with their loved ones. Therefore, those in the transport business see this as a mega opportunity to hike the charges due to the high demand for transport services available. Like in any other businesses where prices tend to go up whenever the demand increases, transport operators also explain that they find themselves with no option than to raise the charges in order to gain in this peak season.

Rising cost of operations incurred by transport operators

Transport operators like bus companies argue that the Transport Licensing Board under the Transport and Works Ministry has instructed them not to use the same drivers for return journeys. This means that a driver is only allowed to take a one-way journey while the return journey should be made by another driver. This increases the operations cost for the companies since they have to hire more drivers. Buses also make increased journeys during the Christmas season due to presence of many passengers going to further destinations and this calls for more servicing of the buses hence increased cost.

Returning near-empty vehicles to Kampala

Bus and taxi operators also argue that during the Christmas season, they rarely find any travelers returning to Kampala. Most of the travelers tend to stay in their villages for at least a week while spending time with their relatives and friends before returning to the city to commence with their businesses. This means that such vehicles always return half empty and therefore the increment helps them to cater for the losses incurred in those return journeys.

What could be the way forward?

Public transport users in Uganda have always cried out to the government to adopt a transport system that prevents transport operators from changing transport fares anytime they want to do so referring to a system used in the neighboring countries like Rwanda. In Rwanda, passengers pay for their transport fares electronically using automated machines installed in each vehicle and the charges remain the same regardless of the season. Such a system is yet to be installed in Uganda and it appears the passengers will warmly welcome it once brought into the country.

Bus companies have also been encouraged to copy their counterparts who decided not to change their transport charges during the Christmas season and do the same.

Where to go for a Christmas holiday in Uganda

0

Uganda has got several places where you can go and have maximum satisfaction as you enjoy your Christmas and new year holiday.

There is nothing that beats the experience of spending your Christmas holiday in a place free from the routine town noise and congestion while offering you some of nature’s most beautiful views that will last for a lifetime in your memory from your Uganda safari.

Come on, shake off that stress and frustration that you have accumulated for the whole year and let your mind relax as you experience the best nature has to offer in one of these holiday destinations. All these places have a variety of decent accommodation facilities and you are free to choose one that fits your budget.

Lake Mburo National Park

The park is named after Lake Mburo that covers 20 percent of its surface with water and this means an opportunity for you to enjoy exciting activities like swimming, boat rides, and spot fishing.

The vast flat and hilly landscape of the park makes it a unique destination for safari activities like hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. A 2-3-day wildlife safari in Lake Mburo would be so perfect for you to experience a true African wilderness.
Some of the most commonly seen animals in this savanna park include giraffes and zebras that always roam around the par.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Though the remotest among all Uganda’s national park, Kidepo Valley National Park is full of amazing wildlife and cultural experiences.

Unlike other parks, the isolation of Kidepo makes it free from any form of congestion of visitors hence allowing you to enjoy uninterrupted game viewing and game drives. Meet hundreds of animal and bird species in this beautiful savanna park ranging from big game like elephant, lion, zebra, giraffe, and buffalo to small ones like leopard tortoise and several antelope species.

Experience a unique cultural touch in Kidepo as you meet and interact with two amazing communities of people from indigenous tribes of the IK and the Karamojong. You will discover the shocking details of their cultural diversity that features their tenacious dance, marriage rituals, their amazing craftwork and local activities.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is the favorite destination for most of the tourists who come to Uganda because of the presence of mountain gorillas hence attracting gorilla trekking safaris in the park. Unlike foreign tourists who are charged $600 per person for gorilla trekking, Ugandans and other East African citizens are only charged Shs250,000 per person for the activity and this should be a great incentive for them to go and enjoy one of the best wildlife experiences in the world. One of the factors that make mountain gorillas unique from other animals and attractive to tourists is the fact that they share about 98 percent of the human DNA. Though fearsome due to their large size and tough looks, gorillas are very calm and gentle animals in their nature and the incredible work of gorilla habituation has made them very friendly and receptive to human beings.

In addition to mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has also got other wildlife species including over 350 species of birds and large mammals like forest elephants that can be seen in the park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda is the second-largest wildlife reserve in the country. The park is a gem for wildlife and it’s a one-stop center majority of the wildlife species in Uganda.

Some of the most exciting activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park include game drive where you can see big game like elephants, buffalos, zebras, giraffe, leopard and the breathtaking tree-climbing lions plus a variety of antelope species. After retiring from game drives, you relax your mind with a boat cruise along Kazinga channel where also see several water species like hippos, water birds, and elephants that always relax at the shores of the channel.

Kibale Forest National Park

For the purpose of exploiting a variety wildlife species in Uganda, a visit to Kibale is also recommended, a park that is referred to as the primates’ capital of the world. Chimpanzees are the most pronounced primates in Kibale Forest National Park and the park is second to none in terms of the primates’ numbers.

Source of the Nile at Jinja

Away from enjoying wildlife experiences, another thrilling and breathtaking experience awaits in water excursions at the source of the Nile in Jinja. The Nile is the longest River in the world at it has got its source here at Jinja, the capital city of eastern Uganda.

Some of the major attractions at Jinja include the newly commissioned Nile bridge where several travelers have been seen enjoying taking selfies while chilling above the Nile waters. Fun gets intense at the source of the Nile waters with activities like swimming, sailing, boat riding while white-water-rafting is the ultimate activity for more brave souls

Click here to inquire more about Uganda safaris

Museveni leads anti-corruption walk in Kampala

0

President Yoweri Museveni has this morning led thousands of Ugandans in the walk against corruption in the capital city Kampala. The anti-corruption walk is under the theme “A corruption-free Uganda; It stars with me”.

The President and other participants have walked a distance of about 4km from Constitutional Square in the city center to Kololo Independence Grounds.

Among other high profile walkers included Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament led by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah, religious leaders, members of the civil society and members from the public also joined the walk.

The anti-corruption walk is part of Uganda’s participation in the anti-corruption week that is recognized globally under the theme “Promoting accountability for national development”.

President Museveni decided to lead the anti-corruption walk to highlight the efforts made towards eliminating the vice and he is also expected to address the masses about the topic of zero tolerance to corruption.

Other officials who are also expected to address the public about the theme include Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and Chief Justice Bart Katureebe on behalf of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption walk in the city center paralyzed traffic flow in the other parts of the city especially along busy roads entering the city center like Entebbe road. Motorists especially those of public transport were being stopped at least 3km away from the city center by traffic police in order not to interrupt the walk. From here passengers were forced either to walk the remaining distance to the city center or use motorcycles at a fee.

This sparked anger among the passengers who accused the government of failing to fight corruption among its own officials and rather resort to a symbolic walk that carry less significance in the fight against the vice.

How does Uganda rank globally in terms of corruption?

The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) that is published annually by Transparency International ranked Uganda as the 149 least corrupt nation out of 180 ranked countries in 2018. The Corruption Perception Index ranks counties every year according to perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessment and opinion surveys.

Why is corruption so rampant in Uganda?

Much of the corruption in Uganda has been blamed on the weakness of the government to fight it and educate the masses against. The government is blamed for failure to put up strong laws that can help to control the vice, consequently allowing several government officials and other public servants who have gone on to exploit these weak laws and embezzle government funds making the country to lose millions of dollars through the vice.

Who are the culprits of corruption in Uganda?

Several reports on corruption in Uganda have been published indicating the leading government institutions and agencies where corruption is so common. The Uganda Police has always been mentioned as the leading government institution that is so much associated with corruption, while others include government hospitals, government agencies and public offices. However, members of the general public have also been infested by the corruption virus hence the vice being present in the day-to-day general public activities

What is the government doing to fight corruption in Uganda?

Much as the vice of corruption has been heavily blamed on the government, the same has tried to set up several institutions to help and curb corruption. These include the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG), the anti-corruption commission, among others. The Public Accounts Committee was also set up in parliament responsible to demand accountability of public funds that are spent by government officials and institutions. Several government officials who have been indicted of corruption cases have also been given sentences and other penalties including jail and suspension from their offices. The government is also proposing setting up CCTV cameras in public offices to spy on those who may be tempted into bribery in such offices.

Is it possible for Uganda to overcome corruption?

Well, this remains a long term question that will rumble on among Ugandans though many believe that until the government does enough to combat this vice, it will remain haunting the country. Several strong measures that have been suggested for the government to adopt in the fight of corruption include amending more strict laws against corruption, giving harsh punishments to those that have been convicted of corruption including confiscating their property and giving them long jail terms, among others. The government has been encouraged to enroll teaching children at different levels of education about the dangers of corruption while other government institutions like the police have also been advised against the vice.

Latest article

8 new national parks

UWA announces creation of 8 new national parks

Uganda has 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves, 5 community wildlife management areas and 13 wildlife sanctuaries with rich biodiversity including over 1,000 species...
Kasubi tombs

Kasubi Tombs in Buganda Kingdom-Uganda

Kasubi tombs are the historical burial grounds of the Kings of Buganda located 5 kilometers northwest of Kampala city. The tombs cover an area...
Tree climbing lions

Tree climbing lions in Uganda

Tree climbing lions are found in Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This sector offers game drives which have the highlight...