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Local Council Elections in Uganda

July 14, 2018

Uganda Villages Vote Local Council Heads After 17 Years Of Wait

More than 17 million registered Ugandans from 60,800 villages around the country took part in yesterday’s local council elections after waiting for 17 years. Ugandans had last voted their local council leaders back in 2001 during the country’s general elections, which started with presidential and parliamentary elections

The government finally moved to organize these elections in an effort to implement section 26 of the Local Government Act, 1997 which stresses that the local councils assist in maintaining law, order and security as well as receive and solve problems or disputes in villages. They also carryout community sensitization and identify beneficiaries of government programs, they also assess and recommend candidates for some government jobs and issue the primary endorsement documents to the citizens.

The voting finally took place after many occasions of postponing the exercise by the electoral commission. Local council elections were supposed to follow presidential and parliamentary elections back in 2011, as part of local government elections but they did not materialize. Since then the government has been scheduling different dates for these elections up to 2016 when the country was going into another presidential elections, unfortunately still the local council elections were not facilitated and again failed to take place. Finally the government moved to schedule the elections in Nov last year but it failed due to a few challenges like insufficient funds by the electoral commission to facilitate the exercise and other legal challenges from those who were opposing their timing. After such a long period of waiting, Ugandans were finally able to vote their local council leaders and they are full of excitement and much expectations in their new leaders.

Although the exercise was a bit hectic since the voting system required the voters to line up behind their candidates, they were not bothered by this arrangement and everyone was focused on having their candidate win the race.

Role of Local Council Committees

The permanent secretary in the in the local government ministry says that elected LC1 chairpersons and their executives in general will help in monitoring and supervising government programs.

In addition, Article 50 of the Local Government Act 1997 (amended in 2015) indicates the following roles of the village committees;

Overseeing the implementation of policies and decisions made by the council.
The Act also states that the village executive committees under the chairperson are expected to assist in the maintenance of law, order and security, they also initiate, encourage, support and participate in self-help projects and mobilize people, material and technical assistance in relation to self-help projects.

The committees are also expected to vet and recommend persons in their areas for recruitment into the Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF), the Uganda police Force and the Uganda Prisons Service. Further, the local council committees are expected to serve as a communication channel between the government, the district or higher local council and the people in the area. Other functions according to the Act include monitoring projects and other activities undertaken by the government, local governments and non-government organizations in their area.

Chairperson’s role

Among the various roles the local leader is expected to execute include the following;

Presiding over the council meetings and monitor the general administration of their areas. The new leaders will also spearhead the reoperation of the village and parish courts across the country to handle the administration of justice on civil disputes. This is expected to reduce case backlog in formal courts and to reduce the congestion in prisons.

Village and parish courts have the jurisdiction to handle cases relating to debts (below shs 2 million), contracts assaults and battery, conversion, property damage, trespass, customary land disputes, civil disputes under customary law including customary land, divorce and inheritance. In addition, village and parish courts also have jurisdiction over causes and matters arising out of infringement of by-laws and cases of civil nature involving children.

Local council leaders also play a key role in promoting economic activities like tourism. Leaders in areas with tourist attractions like game parks have supported activities like gorilla tracking in Bwindi, cultural tours and game viewing through working hand in hand with park authorities to sensitize the people about tourism and conservation benefits.They also encourage residents to take part in tourism activities which also helps them to earn a living to improve their standards of living.

Though plans to restore and empower these village courts are underway, there are doubts that the new village courts will be fair since only the chairperson elects members unlike in the 1990s where all the village council members would be elected under adult suffrage.

Mgahinga National Park- Activities & Attractions

Myuganda

July 10, 2018

Remarkably ideal for gorilla tour experiences, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is found in a remote southwestern Uganda, neighboring Rwanda in the south and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the west, with physical land coverage of 33 square kilometers. Located 14kms from Kisoro town, Mgahinga Park covers the slopes of the three northern mainly Virunga Volcanoes, like Mountain Muhavura (4,127 m), Mountain Gahinga (3,474 m) and Mountain Sabinyo (3,645 m). The three countries, Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, each looks after its own portion of the Virungas, that is Uganda for Mgahinga National Park, Rwanda for Parc National des Volcans and DR Congo for Parc National des Virunga in that arrangement. The three parks together form the Virunga Conservation Area (VCA) that occupies an area of 434-sq km, out of which, Mgahinga is has a share of 33.7 sq. km, constituting 8% of the VCA. The entire Park is in Bufumbira County in Kisoro District.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is made up of to some extent forested slopes of three extinct volcanoes. From far away, the vast cones of the Virunga volcanoes govern the scenery and manifest as you approach. When you arrive at the park you can get a massive overview of the vicinity by walking up the standpoint, just 15 minutes from Ntebeko Gate. The park has a vast ecological value given that during the climatic changes of the Pleistocene ice ages, mountains like the Virunga provided a place of safety for mountain plants and animals that ascended and descended the slopes as climate became warmer or cooler. The Virungas are habitat to a large variety of wildlife; including about half the number of the earth’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.
Mgahinga National Park Tour Activities.
Mgahinga National Park has about 39 mammal and 79 bird species. Animals including the elephants, leopards, buffalos and warthogs/bush pig are infrequently seen at the park. However, the most distinguished and well-known inhabitants of the park are the Mountain Gorillas.
1. Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Trekking is the most amazing tourist activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The habituated gorilla in this park is called the Nyakagezi, which consists of 9 members, 2 silverbacks, 3 adult females, 2 juveniles and 2 infants. Gorilla trekking is a rigorous experience that can last a day long. The excursion guide leads you through the gorilla’s world, enlightening at length the biological and behavioral aspects of the gorillas. We must note that, while you have a very good opportunity of seeing gorillas, success is NOT definite or guaranteed. They are wild creatures with no fixed routine, and finding them requires the skill, ability and experience of your trackers and guides, as well as luck on your part on that day.
The trackers and guides have lent a hand in habituating the gorilla groups and are on familiar terms with them intimately. They will take you to the spot where they left the gorillas the day before. Prior to departure for trekking, the guides tell you how long the walk may take. As you are walking, be open to ask the guides to un-hurry if they are going too speedy and if you need a rest to do so briefly. Feel at ease to stop and stare at birds or flowers, the guide will make sure that you don’t get left behind. The trekking exercise can be tedious; therefore it is good to have physical fitness.
While trekking the Mountain Gorillas and for you to enjoy tracking exercise, carry the following:
– Rain gear or a Rain Coat for unpredictable weather
– Sunscreen and a hut for the unpredictable weather.
– Water and food
– Hiking boots with good clutch perfect for the steep mud-covered slopes.
– Binoculars especially for watching birds and far animals. But you can also hire from the park office.
– Gloves
– A warm cardigan
– Thick trousers and a long sleeved top are ideal for tracking.
– Video- filming is allowed in the parks though not outside the park
– Water proof container for their cameras
– If you prefer wearing a hat, a baseball cap is recommended.
Conduct for Gorilla Visitors
When you set off for gorilla tracking, please you are warned that you;
(a) Keep your voice down or be quiet.
(b) Don’t point or waive your arms, it can be mistaken for threat. Be slow.
(c) Back away slowly to keep 5metres separation if approached by a gorilla.
(d) Don’t use flash, it can threaten the gorillas and bother other visitors.

2.Volcano hiking
Moving from Mgahinga national park, trekkers can rise above to Mt. Sabinyo which 3645metres, Mt Gahinga 3474 metres and Mt. Muhavura 4127 metres above sea level.
– Volcano Climbing of Mt. Sabyinyo (366m)
The ‘Old man’s teeth’, like an old man, time has eroded Mt. Sabyinyo’s crown. Seeing the ‘Old man’s teeth’ on the top of Mt Sabinyo is another wonderful adventure. This volcano has 3 challenging peaks to climb. Hiking the mountain takes one up a ridge along the eastern side of the climb to peak. If you are to continue, the climb to the peak 11 involves walking a ridge with breath-taking drops into gorges of Rwanda and Uganda, a dual experience you will achieve here and enjoy. And the hike up to the peak 111 is steep with several ladders and mush scrambling. Your hands have to get dirty en-route to peak111! But once you reach the top, you will be in Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, what a triple memorable experience this one is!!! The journey takes about eight hours round trip to cover the 14km stretch.
– Mt. Gahinga (3474m)

As you are on your way to the park, you will come across small piles of stones in the garden fields locally known as ‘Gahinga’. Mount Gahinga is pretty bigger than the average ‘gahinga’ but sitting next to Mount Muhavura which makes it turn out to be visibly small. Here, a six-hour hike round expedition goes through a good model of a pure Bamboo jungle. Mt. Gahinga at one time had a Crater Lake on its peak but time has altered it into a flourishing swamp which is 8km away.

Mt. Muhavura (4127m)
One can well see this volcano from all over Kisoro which acts as a point. The emblematic cone-shaped Mountain provides some of the best views in the Uganda. For the most part of the hiking passes a rocky exterior enclosed by grasses and small vegetation. Hikers are presented with the sight of the Virunga volcanoes, Lake Edward in queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi and the Peak of Rwenzori Mountain once at the top of Muhavura. The trekking exercise takes about 8 hours round trip covering 12km. One is advised to base camp at the Muhavura campsite the night before hiking because the place has no facilities hence you need a tent, water, food and sleeping stuffs amongst others.

3. Cave Exploration (The Garama cave).
This is one of the caves where once upon a time the crafty Batwa warriors lived and fought their neighbors, the Bantu. The distance to the cave front entrance from the park headquarters is just 3 km and takes about 4 hours. Your guide will acquaint you with the Batwa history and show you how they lived and fought out of the cave. The cave, 342m in length and 14m deep is at present occupied by bats.
– Viewing platform, it is about 800 metres from the Park gate. While on top, you will have a superior visualization of the Park and the neighboring areas. A guide is not considered necessary here and the activity is free of charge. Displaying panels at the hill point will give a quantity of information about what you can see.
– Boarder trail is a free 5-hour walk that takes you first in the direction of Sabinyo. The trail goes up to the Sabinyo base for a while through fine montane forest before turning in the direction of the Congo. On your way, you will catch a fine view of Sabinyo’s gorge and peaks. When you go into Congo, you cut backside along the international border and come back to the Park Head offices which is a great segment for bird watching. Also the two rest huts along the way are excellent places for a break. Observe closely for the golden monkeys and elephants as you return. Hiking distance is 10 km.

Bird Watching
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has about 79 bird species, including a number of species widespread in the East Congo Montane province and these consist of the Ibis, Whydah, Speckled Mouse birds, and Fire Finch Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Waxbills, and Yellow-Vented Bulbul. For the whole Virunga Conservation Area, over 295 species are prevalent to the Albertine Rift Afromontane region making up a 59% of the total of identified common species. Remember to speak to the Park Management for someone to guide you around for a good viewing of birds and travel with all your birding equipments like binoculars.

Free bird watching – You can also enjoy free bird watching on the edges of the park but on request. The guides will take you out from 5-6 pm if you book early by 10 am on the day you want to watch birds. Freely choose your walk direction or simply relax in the camping ground. A leisurely walk along the buffalo wall toward the Congo takes you through a wetland area where Ibis, Whydah, Speckled Mousebird, and Fire Finch are found. Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Waxbills, and Yellow-Vented Bulbul are common at the campground. Inquire from the guide about the best spots and take your time and move at y Bird Species at Semliki include the Broad-billed Roller, Green Wood-hoopoe, African Grey Hornbill, African Moustached Warbler, rapacious Red-necked Falcon, Black-winged Red-Bishop, White-winged Widowbird and Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Green-backed Eremomela, Piapiac, Black-chinned Quail-Finch, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike and Western Violet-backed sunbird, the listing is continual. Walk on your own rate as birding needs no rapidity.

Access to Mgahinga National Park:
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is placed 540 kilometres Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda, which is an 8-hour long journey through Kabale to Kisoro district. Once in Kisoro Town, you can voluntarily hike to the park if you are strong enough or hire a cab to the park gate.

In case you want to stage a camp, there is more than enough space at the park gate and Mt. Gahinga Rest Camp for ‘Do it Yourself Camping’, besides that, there is also superb traditional Bandas managed by the local community. Kisoro Town is just 14 kms to the gate of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and offers a variety of accommodation facilities like the basic Camp-site and luxurious full board hotels which include:

Traveler’s Rest

Mgahinga Safari Lodge,

Mt. Gahinga Rest Camp

Virunga Hotel,

Sky Blue

Rugigana Campsite

Mubano Hotel

Community Camp ground with ample space for one’s own camping

Museveni Ranked Among Best Presidents in the Globe

Myuganda

July 7, 2018

Uganda’s Museveni Ranked Among Best Presidents In the World
A recently published report from New York University and World Bank experts ranks H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the Pearl of Africa’s president 12th in the world in terms of influencing economic growth. The report released by World Bank economist Steve Penning’s and New York University economics professor, William Easterly indicates that Museveni is one of the best leaders with a significant positive impact on their countries’ economic growth. The two experts define the best leaders, as any leaders for whom the estimated leader effect is positive and significant at the 95% level and the worst leaders are those with negative and insignificant leader effects.

Easterly and Hennings ranked 24 world leaders and Museveni who has president for 32 years came in the 12th position scoring higher than many powerful leaders globally including the former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew and Park Chung-hee former president of South Korea between 1963 and 1979. Museveni’s significant contribution to Uganda’s economic growth is said to be a record 2.42% with shrinkage of only 0.78% since he came to power in 1986.

The findings that were entitled “Shrinking dictators: how much economic growth can we attribute to national leaders?” ranked Senior General Than Shwe of Burma as number one for being the most influential leader who steered his country’s economic growth at 3.95% and shrinkage of just 0.71%. He was the head of the state of Burma between 1992 and 2011 as Chairman of the State Peace and Development council (SPDC).

Also, the report established that leaders like Yoweri Museveni and Seretse Khama of Botswana rank higher than Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore partly because they did well in relation to the lower average regional growth in Sub Saharan Africa compared to East and South Asia.

Former president Idi Amin Dada was also ranked as the 5th worst leader in the world after causing an economic slump of -3.38% while he was president from 1971 to 1979 with shrinkage of 0.69%.

Assessing Museveni’s Contributions
Museveni has been at the helm of Uganda’s political and economic transformation that the previous governments had crippled prior to his coming to power in 1986. The worse economic situation was its climax with the rise to power of Amin in 1971. The recent statistics given by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija during the National Budget reading for the financial year 2018/2019, the infrastructure development is at its peak with 5,350km total of paved roads compared to 987km of 1986.
The government has also established in the new financial year to prioritize road maintenance to strengthen the already made investments and also embark on construction of another 600km of oil roads. 400km will also be upgraded by tarmac while 200km will be rehabilitated together with construction of 15 bridges.

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development also indicates that the general quality of lives and standard of living of Ugandans have improved tremendously together with the increase in income. The figures from the ministry show that despite the continued increase in population, the average per capita incomes have doubled in the last 8 years from Shs 1.35m if the financial year 2009/10 to Shs 2.68m in 2017/18.

The projections from the ministry show that Uganda’s economy is expected to grow at 6% and 7% in the new financial year and 2019/20 respectively. Other areas where progress has been made include the employment sector with the national employment rate reducing from 11% to 8%, access to electricity grid has increased to 22% in 2017 from 14% in 2013 and access to water has also risen from 68% to 78% during the same period. The revenue collections per annum have also increased, for instance in the financial year 2005/06 the total revenue collected was Shs 2.23 trillion compared to the estimated Shs 20trillion to be collected in the next financial year.

In addition to the promising projections, a recent study at Harvard Center in USA predicted that Uganda’s economy will be one of the fastest growing in the world by 2026 and beyond. The President Museveni while speaking at the recent state of the nation address assured Ugandans that the NRM government has already negotiated and arranged with other African states to promote the market integration of Africa through different economic bodies like EAC, COMESA and CFTA in order to provide means for the absorption of the goods and services produced by the Ugandans to boost the general economy.

The robust peace and security that the NRM government under Museveni created has been greatly credited for the prevailing economic growth. The country has been politically stable since the demise of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels that were led by Joseph Kony. Other rebel groups like the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Alice Lakwena were all suppressed plus the disarmament of the Karamajongs in Northeastern Uganda has created lasting peace and stability in that sub region.Also, the peace in Uganda has encouraged smooth flow of tourism activities to all parts of the region such as gorilla trek packages to Bwindi and Mgahinga, game viewing safaris in Murchiosn falls, Queen Elizabeth National park, Lake Mburo Np & Kidepo valley Np, and other tourism activities all over the country.

In addition to his tremendous contribution to Uganda’s economic growth and the lasting peace and stability, President Museveni has also registered success in different areas and the most notable ones include restoration of freedom like freedom of speech, press freedom, freedom to worship. Relative democracy has been promoted evidenced by the preparation of elections for the nationals to vote their own leaders despite a few anomalies that sometimes hinder their free and fair aspect. The president has been highly commended for his effective foreign policy that has produced some good fruits in countries like Somalia and South Sudan where he deployed the army to strengthen their security. Museveni has also worked hard to ensure that Uganda is at par with all her neighbors including Tanzania that had trouble with Uganda during Amin’s regime. The president has also tried to boost other sectors like education through introduction of free universal education the health sector has been boosted by introduction of free and affordable medical services. The agricultural sector is also promoted by assisting farmers with free and affordable quality inputs.

However, despite all his great contribution to the development of the country, president Museveni has also been widely criticized for his long stay in power and his government has always been accused of corruption and some other vices like tribalism and favoritism.

When all has been said and done, the president deserves a credit for inheriting crippled political and economic systems and transforming them into one of the fastest growing both in the region and Africa at large.

Newly opened Kampala Entebbe Expressway

Myuganda

July 2, 2018

Uganda Opens New Airport Expressway
The president of Uganda H.E Yoweri Museveni recently commissioned the newly completed Kampala-Entebbe Expressway that connects the Entebbe International Airport to the greater Kampala metropolitan area. This 51.4km highway was constructed with $350m loan from Exim Bank of China and the Chinese construction company (China Communications Construction Company was in charge of the road construction while the Beijing Expressway Supervision administered the project. Among the various advantages and solutions it comes with, the new expressway is expected to quicken the transportation of different visitors to Uganda. These include diplomats that come for different purposes and tourists that come for various Uganda wildlife safaris who have been getting stuck in the intense traffic along the old Kampala-Entebbe Road before they get to their exact destinations. There has also been a big risk of travelers missing out on their flights after getting delayed in traffic along the way from Kampala a problem expected to be solved by the new route. The opening of the Entebbe express way s good news especially for travel operators in Uganda. The highway is hoped to make transport much easier and quick for travelers connecting to far places especially for gorilla safaris in Bwindi/Mgahinga gorilla national park. The high way help travelers to dodge the traffic jam in kampala city saving them of time and too much fuel spent in Jam.

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) hopes that the four-lane carriageway will ease congestion in the central business district and it will also create a link between the Airport and the areas of interest along the shores of Lake Victoria including the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa which is in the final stages of the development of its second nine –hole golf course.
The Entebbe Expressway starts at Entebbe International Airport and continues to Mpala, then go through Akright estate, Kajjansi, Kabojja and then it joins the Kampala Northern Bypass Highway at Busega. This is the main straight route of the highway and it covers a distance of approximately 37.23km whereas there is a spur branching off the highway at Kajjansi to link to Munyonyo along the Northern shores of Lake Victoria and this covers 14.13km.

The new expressway is a toll-road and vehicles intending to use it will need electronic billing devices. However, despite its limited access status, the new expressway will hugely assist the old-fashioned Kampala-Entebbe Road in handling traffic given that the latter is narrow, congested and poorly situated to handle the heavy traffic it faces currently. The total cost of the road was USD476 million and apart from the USD350 loan from the Exim Bank of China that also attracted a 2% annual interest, the remaining USD126 million was provided by the Government Of Uganda. The government also incurred further UGX 123 billion to compensate the residents who had land along the route. However, those who are excited about using the road will have to wait up to November this year when the installation of toll-paying technology at the payment booths and the passage of the law authorizing the building and use of toll roads is expected to be finalized.

Following the completion of the Entebbe Expressway, the UNRA has also opened the bidding process for the construction of another highway linking Kampala to the industrial city of Jinja which is expected to become a key link in transport routes to East Africa.

Uganda’s City Life Outside Kampala

Myuganda

June 26, 2018

Life Away From Kampala With A Unique Lifestyle
For most of Ugandan visitors, Kampala has been the only destination they consider for their accommodation, food, entertainment, shopping and other leisure related activities. However, due to the growing increase in challenges that come with a developed urban center like traffic, human congestion, which also leads to increase in insecurity-related vices like theft, one needs to consider alternative towns where such services can be obtained much easier compared to the capital. For that purpose, Uganda is not short of such areas and you are able to find at least one developed town in each region of the country that can offer you a full package of the services that you may need while on your Uganda safari ranging from accommodation to shopping, entertainment to food and drinks among others.

The good news is that you will experience a completely different lifestyle in each town you visit because they are exclusively unique due to a huge cultural diversity of Ugandan communities. Therefore each town’s lifestyle is predominantly determined by the culture of the residents in terms of what they eat and drink, music and general entertainment. Apart from some common aspects that cut across like the music from popular local artists which is played in all the entertainment centers in every region of the country, you will also experience the region’s traditional music and dance that will entertain you like the Bagisu’s Imbalu dance when you visit Mbale town in the East of the country will put you in the same mood with the locals. More interestingly most of these towns are near to tourist attraction sites hence allowing Uganda safari visitors to hit two birds with one stone as they can keep switching from one activity to the other like from gorilla tracking in Bwindi to an entertainment night in Kabale town.

The following are the main cities in Uganda that offer a grand lifestyle away from Kampala together with their main visited spots;

Entebbe
Entebbe is located just 40km South of Kampala along the Northern shores of Lake Victoria and it is the site for Uganda’s main airport, Entebbe International airport. Visitors who don’t have much business to do in Kampala would prefer to stay here in a suiting accommodation facility due to the area’s conducive environment mostly contributed to by the cool winds from the nearby Lake Victoria. Entebbe is well endowed by accommodation facilities for all categories of visitors with all luxury, moderate and budget facilities. The hotels, resorts and lodges in Entebbe have fully furnished rooms with no need of going in and out looking for one or two things and in addition to this they prepare all kinds of cuisines to cater for all kinds of visitors from various origins. Various shopping centers including Victoria shopping mall will allow you to do any kind of shopping you may need. Entebbe is surrounded with numerous beaches and resorts where you can go for swimming, spot fishing, boat cruises and sand bathing. For visitors who love exploring wildlife, Entebbe hosts the national zoo, the Uganda Wildlife Education Center. All species of flora and fauna found in various game parks around the country are represented in this zoo together with well-documented information describing each specie you come across. The more significant cutting edge Entebbe may have over other towns in Uganda including Kampala is its proximity to the airport. Any risk of missing your flight back home is completely eliminated when you decide to stay around Entebbe. The intense traffic from Kampala to Entebbe presents a big risk to travellers of missing their flights hence staying at Entebbe saves you from this pressure.

Jinja City
Jinja is another alternative town to Kampala located in the Eastern part of Uganda along the Northeastern shores of Lake Victoria. The town is 82km from Kampala along the Main Kampala-Nairobi highway and it is the main city in the Eastern part of the country. The kind of life at Jinja is closely similar to that of Entebbe especially when it comes to the beaches, landing sites and lake-related activities. Jinja may be a bit more blessed than Entebbe in terms of drainage because it hosts the source of the longest River in the world, River Nile in addition to bordering the fresh waters of Lake Victoria. You will neither starve nor be bored at Jinja as the town is also full of various food points, bars and entertainment centers together with several shopping points. The town has also got a long selection list of activities ranging from source of the Nile tour to white-water-rafting at the beautiful Bujagali falls along the course of the Nile. Swimming, spot fishing, boat cruising and sand bathing are all available at one of the nearby beaches of Jinja. There are various transport options to Jinja whereby you can either choose to go by road or by water. Away from the main highway from Kampala that may take you 2 hours or more in case you get stuck in a heavy traffic in Kampala, you can also consider using the more Northerly route via Gayaza and Kayunga, which is 30km, longer but far mellower after leaving Kampala along Gayaza road. This route connects to the main highway from Kampala at the outskirts of Jinja where the road crosses the Owen falls dam then leads to the roundabout where a right turn goes to the town center and a left turn to Bujagali. There is no shortage of accommodation in Jinja as the town has a big number of hotels ranging from a quartet of upmarket boutique hotels to a trio suburban backpacker hostels and campsites and several simple central guesthouses.

Mbarara City
Mbarara can be considered as the capital city of the Southwestern sub region of Uganda. Situated 260km Southwest of Kampala at the junction of the main roads running south to Kabale and Bwindi and north to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kasese. It is a rapidly growing town that now ranks as Uganda’s largest urban center outside the environs of greater Kampala. Mbarara boasts a selection of business hotels and well-stocked shops to cater for all your accommodation and shopping needs. For tourism needs, the town hosts the museum at Igongo Cultural Center which is worth an hour of your time together with the Nkokonjeru Tombs, the burial place of the last two last two kings of Ankole. The central location of Mbarara in the middle of great tourist sites gives tourists a great advantage to explore their favorite destinations like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which is a tourists favorite for gorilla tracking, the outstanding game viewing site of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the nearby Lake Mburo National Park and so many other attractions ranging from the beautiful sceneries of numerous volcanic features like crater lakes and hot springs to the amazing savannah ranges with wonderful views of various vegetation types and a wide mixed landscape. For accommodation, Mbarara boasts an extraordinary number of hotels most of them being budget and catering mainly to the conference market with nice restaurants as well and they are perfectly adequate for unfussy travellers. There also about half-a- dozen similarly priced hotels strung along Bananaku drive in the main central cluster of Mbarara. For luxury, there is Bigongo country hotel as the smartest lodge in the vicinity of Mbarara at Biharwe, 15km along the Masaka road.

Fortportal
Fort Portal is the administrative center of Kabarole district and seat of the Toro Kingdom. The geography around Fort Portal makes it the most attractive town in Uganda as it is situated amid lush rolling hillsides swathed in neat tea plantations and clouds permitting offering excellent views across to the beautiful glacial peaks of the Rwenzori mountains to the West. There are 300km from Kampala along a good surface road to this well-equipped town and it is strategically located for exploring Kibale National Park and the Toro crater lakes. The town offers a very good selection of hotels, restaurants and nightspots, making it an agreeable place to settle into for a few days. The historical and cultural tourist site of stalagmites and stalactites locally known as “Amabere Ga Nyinamwiru” at Nyakasura is also located a few kilometers from Fort Portal town. Fort Portal has a good selection of accommodation suited to most tastes and budgets. The out-of-town Kyaninga Lodge located on the rim of the eponymous Crater Lake will cater for the most exclusive accommodation needs. For catering services in Fort Portal, in addition to the long list of restaurants, the covered terrace facing the manicured gardens at the Mountains of the moon Hotel is a fabulous spot for a relaxed outdoor meal. The Koi Koi village along the Kasese road is also another pleasant spot for a meal or drink.

Mbale City
This is the second largest city in Eastern Uganda after Jinja located in the Far East on the Western footslopes of Mount Elgon. Mbale is an agreeable and substantial town surrounded by leafy suburbs, sprawling eastward to the foot of the dramatic Wanale cliffs. Mbale has a greater sense of place than most towns East of the Nile, thanks largely to its striking cliff-base location below Mount Elgon, whose awesome volcanic peaks are sometimes visible in clear weather. Mbale lies 230km from Kampala along an excellent surfaced road through Jinja and Iganga a distance that can last for about 4 hours considering the traffic congestion on the outskirts of Kampala plus slow trailers and tankers on the Jinja road. There are various accommodation facilities in Mbale catering for all kinds of travellers with both luxury and budget facilities available, these include hotels, guesthouses and inns around the town. Mbale is the best center for tourists who would like to hike mount Elgon. Other tourist attraction sites around Mbale include, Mount Elgon National Park, Sipi falls, Wanale cliffs, Nabugoye Synagogue and Kakungulu’s grave.

For travellers who have been fade up with flexing in Kampala’s congestion and perhaps looking for towns with more breathing space and at the same time offering good services and with tourist attractions nearby, the above are the best alternative centers you should consider staying in during your next trip to Uganda.

2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia

Myuganda

June 16, 2018

Uganda’s Stake at the Fifa World Cup 2018
Much as the national football team the Uganda Cranes did not qualify to represent Uganda at the World Cup that has officially started in Russia, Uganda’s soccer fans are filled with equal or more excitement and anxiety like those who are represented in this most prestigious football tournament and they have different stakes and expectations from the competition. Ugandans have remained hopeful for the Cranes to feature in the World Cup and these hopes were boosted by the recent progress of the national team when they qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2016 where they had taken almost 40 years without featuring. This strengthened the faith and increased the hope that may be one day the Uganda National Anthem will be among those to be sung at planet’s biggest football competition. Nevertheless Ugandans have no reasons to worry.The pearl of Africa has a lot to offer to the international community in the tourism industry. Travelers to Uganda are blessed with life changing gorilla treks in Bwindi and Mgahinga, game viewing safaris, mountain climbing, birding watching and cultural encounters which together form a complete Uganda safari package. Also, the pearl of Africa is known for her rich tourism industry biodiversity that is unrivaled across the continent and the globe at large and other sectors are expected to follow on that ladder of development including sports.

All that said, we would like to know what could be Uganda’s stake at this year’s competition.
Well, it should be boldly stated that Ugandans have been having great stake at International football since its breakthrough into the hearts of Ugandan football lovers in the early 90s. Therefore we can say that Ugandans started catching up the spirit of World Cup from the Italia 90 tournament basically because of the economic recovery brought about by the peace the country had started to enjoy after the long period of civil wars that had entangled the country up to 1986. Today most Ugandan football elites narrate their world cup moments starting from the 1990 tournament.

Moving away from the national level to the continental level, the decision by FIFA to include 5 African nations to represent the continent at the global tournament also gave Ugandans a big reason to crave for the tournament. Ugandans have relentlessly shown their support and affection to all the African representatives since their initiation into the competition. The likes of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt and Senegal that have been regular representatives of Africa have received a huge fan base from Uganda despite all having failed to go beyond the quarterfinals since making their first appearance at the competition to date, hopefully it will not be the same this time round.

Having witnessed the past winners and the most dominant sides in the competition including Brazil, Germany, England, Italy, France, Spain and Argentina, today Ugandans can ably predict the competition’s favorites and indeed its these nations that have won the support of most Ugandan soccer lovers. This is also hugely backed up by the big influence of these countries’ professional football leagues that has eaten up the hearts of Ugandan fans. These include English Premier League with Ugandans favorite clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. The Spanish La Liga has the second largest fan base in Uganda especially for their top two clubs of Barcelona and Real Madrid. The trend is that most Ugandan fans tend to follow and support those countries that have got influential players in the clubs they love. For example you are likely to find most Ugandan Arsenal fans also supporting Germany because of the love for their playmaker and German midfielder Mesut Ozil and the trend continues like that even with other fans for other clubs.

Secondly the closest factor that comes after that of professional football relationships to draw Ugandans close to the World Cup is that of a financial benefit. We all know that there is betting in professional football, right? This has not excluded the pearl of Africa dwellers since they also want know how the bread from this gaming money tastes like. As you travel along the busy streets of Kampala you will see some opportunist Ugandans lining up in betting houses trying to calculate the favorable odds to win them fortunes during this busy soccer period. This will really keep them on their toes following the tournament closely as it proceeds.

We cannot also deny that there are some Ugandans who watch the tournament genuinely for fun and partly because of its big influence in the International leisure, sports and entertainment industries. There is no doubt that the World Cup is highly advertised across all media channels hence people rarely spend more than two hours without watching, reading or hearing something related to this completion. This makes it so popular among Ugandans and creates that anxiety in them to watch it and see what it has to offer after such a huge publicity.

Forgetting the impact of the World Cup trophy International tour can jeopardize our conclusion. The trophy has been brought to Uganda on two occasions so far the first one being in 2009 before the kicking off of the tournament in South Africa and the second was early this year. It is always first received by the president and then displayed for public viewing hence creating more eagerness among Ugandans to see who will officially emerge victorious of this prestigious prize.

However, this time round Ugandans are going to watch the competition when they are more alert and sober than in 2010 when a tragedy happened and over 76 people were bombed to death at the hands of terrorists while watching the World Cup final at Lugogo. Otherwise moods are so high and fans are anxious about who will win this year’s tournament in Russia with majority predicting five time winners Brazil to lift the trophy though defending champions Germany, France, Spain and Argentina are also tipped by many to be victorious.

Former IGP Gen Kale Kayihura Under Arrest

Myuganda

June 14, 2018

Former IGP Gen Kale Kayihura Under Arrest
Three months after his sacking from being the inspector general of Uganda police, Gen kale kayihura is under arrest. The former police boss was arrested on 13th June 2018 from his home in kasagama Lyatonde by the Uganda people’s defense force (UPDF’s) chopper. A team of army officers led by Lt Gen Wilson Mbadi arrested the former boss. Much as Kayihura was arrested on 13th June, the rumors of his arrest was spread on 12th June when the first attempt was made by sending the chopper to pick him from court yard hotel in Lyantonde. On reaching the hotel, the army officers briefly introduced them selves to the hotel managers and hurriedly checked all hotel rooms, which left the hotel staff shocked. However, the first attempt was unfortunate since Kayihura was found to have traveled to Mbarara that he could not be traced hence the helicopter had to fly back. It was revealed that Kale Kayihura had been under house arrest without his knowledge. The blocking of the general two times from flying out of the country clearly indicate that the arrest of the general was not abrupt but had been planned earlier. The fallen general was arrested a day after all heads of Uganda Security agencies had a meeting with president Museveni, the commander in chief regarding security in the country.

According to the army officials who arrested him, General kale kayihura is still soldier serving the Uganda people’s defense forces (UPDF). The serving officials therefore need him for some interrogations related to his works during his term of office. Gen Kale Kaiyihura has been living at his home in Lyantonde since his sacking despite several rumors about his where about. The question in most people’s mind is why was he arrested? The general was once a close friend to his Excellency the president of Uganda who at one time gave him a new name of a good cadre. In Uganda’s history, Kale Kayihura is a long serving inspector general who served for 13 years something no one else has ever done.

Much as there is no detailed information as to why the General was arrested, its believed that the earlier arrest and confession of the former flying squad operative (Abel Kitagenda) caused much suspicions about Kayihura. In his confessions, Abel revealed that Kale Kayihura had a hand in the assassination of the former police spokes person the late Andrew Felix Kawesi who was killed near his gate. This created a need for Kayihura to report to Gen David Muhoozi the chief of the Defense forces for further investigations.

While he was addressing the 23rd annual general meeting of local governments in September 2017, General Kale kayihura predicted his sacking and arrest from the criticism he had received from the president. The meeting was held at St Peters technical institute in mubende in which Kale Kayihura disclosed how Museveni the president was not happy with police services in preventing continuous crimes in the country. The general assured people that crimes in Uganda could never stop unless the government finds out root cause of the problems. Details of his where about are not known but we all believe that the general is safe in the hands of the police and Uganda army at large.

Leaving-out kayihura stories, Uganda the pearl of Africa is a safe and distinct destination to stay in. the country is naturally gifted by beautiful landscapes, hospitable people and water bodies. Uganda offer travelers with memorable gorilla safari experiences in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park.Other tourism activities in Uganda include chimpanzee tours in Kibale forest national park, bird watching, mountain climbing, cultural tours, nature walks, boat cruising and game viewing in the open savannah national parks in different parts of the country.

Mountain gorilla Population Rise in Virunga massif

Myuganda

June 4, 2018

Its what we have all been waiting for! The mountain gorilla census results are finally out. Its great news that the recent gorilla census survey indicates a rise in the population of mountain gorilla population in the Virunga massif. Gorilla counting has been on going in the Virunga conservation area shared by volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. The new results show that mountain gorilla population has risen from 480 in 2010 to 604 which population increase indeed call for celebration. Similarly, the number o gorilla groups in the Virunga massif have increased to 41 from 36 in 2010. The remaining population of mountain gorilla’s (roughly 400) dwell in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. In general the current population of mountain gorillas in the world is roughly 1004 gorillas shared by Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo

Great thanks go to all responsible tourism and government bodies that have worked tirelessly to protect these critically endangered mountain gorillas. The bodies responsible are the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for Uganda, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) for Rwanda and the Institute Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) in Democratic Republic of Congo. Also, gorilla doctors, conservationists and tourism police have done a great job to ensure good health and safety of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

The good news was spread by the team of rangers from the greater Virunga transboundary collaboration who did the counting. For three months, a team of 60 people from Uganda, Rwanda and Congo has been walking volcanoes through the Virunga massif everyday to check different gorilla families These people gathered different samples like hair and dung samples for easy identification of individual gorillas.

The increase in gorilla numbers brings hope for boosted gorilla tours to Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Gorilla trekking is the most done activity in east and central Africa attracting the highest number of travelers from all parts of the world to enjoy this face-to-face encounter with the critically endangered gorillas in the wild. Also, there is assurance of gorilla permit availability compared to the past, which guarantee travelers an opportunity to meet and interact with these gentle giants in their natural habitat. Mountain gorillas are one of the critically endangered species surviving in the wild. Mountain gorillas are highly threatened by poachers, loss of habitat and other human activities which factors have kept the number of these endangered species low.

Rwanda is a renowned luxury gorilla destination due to its expensive gorilla permits each costing 1500usd fro all people including Rwanda nationals. Fortunately gorilla’s safaris in Uganda are quite cheaper costing 600 for a permit in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. Unfortunately, mountain gorilla treks to Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo have been put on halt till further notice. The ICCN and other tourism bodies closed entrance to Virunga national park in May 2018 following the kidnap of two Briton travelers who good enough were rescued. Unfortunately, the incident took the life of park ranger who was shot dead by the rebels.

Based on the trip advisor reviews, gorilla trekking is one of the best wildlife experiencers in the world. The human character of these gentle giants amazes travelers. Each family plays a different role in the family. The silverback is a head of the family, adult females nurse the young ones while the juveniles pay continuously which keep a family lively and enjoyable.

To ensure sustainable gorilla tourism and a more increase of mountain gorillas, all stake holders are called upon to revise other strategies to prevent any harm to the gorillas. Potential travelers are advised to check gorilla permit availability and book as early as 6 months before the actual trekking date. A variety of travel operators are available to offer you customized gorilla packages. Book a gorilla safari to Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, enjoy an encounter with these gentle giants in the wild and enjoy a memorable wildlife experience.

Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations in Namugongo

Myuganda

June 1, 2018

When it comes to Uganda safaris in early June, it’s not only about gorilla tours for which Uganda is widely known but also Uganda Martyrs day. This is a religious pilgrimage to Namugongo martyrs shrine that takes place every 3rd June. Christians from all parts of the world gather for the annual prayer session. These celebrations are dedicated to honor the catholic and Anglican converts who were executed for their faith between 31st January 1885 and 27th January 1887 at the orders of kabaka Mwanga for their faith. Their killing by Kabaka Mwanga II the king of Buganda was during the three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court. The Martyrs belonged basically two religious groups, which included 23 Anglicans, and 22 Catholics that had converted to Christianity after abandoning the Kabaka led traditional beliefs. Following their killing, the English Church Missionary Society used the deaths of Anglicans to enlist wider public support for the British acquisition of Uganda for the Empire. The Catholic Church also beatified the 22 catholic martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them later in 1964 by Pope Paul IV in Rome.

This great religious event has attracted a lot of attention worldwide with pilgrims coming in from almost all countries around the world. This historical day sees the biggest gathering in the country flock the martyrs’ shrines at Namugongo a Kampala suburb about 15km from the city center along the Kampala-Jinja highway. Uganda Martyrs’ day is not only a public holiday in Uganda but rather a world public holiday for all Christians in the globe. Following the canonization in 1964, the government of Uganda also declared this day as a public holiday in commemoration of the first Christian Martyrs in the country. The celebration of martyrs’ day has a series of events that start a month earlier with some pilgrims walking all their way to Namugongo.

The start of the pilgrimage to Namugongo has its history way back in 1920 when Rev. Fr. Stephen Walters, a Mill Hill Missionary Priest organized a pilgrimage to Namugongo to honor the newly blessed martyrs that had been beatified. After this a Dutch priest who was the based at Nsambya walked with a group of Christians to Namugongo and celebrated holy mass at the spot where Charles Lwanga was martyred. He erected a cross at this spot after the mass, which marked the beginning of pilgrimage to Namugongo.

Today the pilgrimage to Namugongo means much more to the locals than just remembering the martyrs. The event has moved from an emotional faith moved religious ceremony to also include commercial, social and entertainment aspects. Business oriented Ugandans have used the event as an avenue to make money and they sell all sorts of products to the pilgrims. Surprisingly the list of the sold items is dominated by beverages, other soft drinks and eats. All home accessories can be bought here and you may be tempted to think that the traders are not aware of the main event of the day rather to them it seems like a market day. Entertainers who are also in most cases marketing various products and services also arrange different stands with musical instruments airing out some of the popular local music to accompany the adverts. Namugongo also became a famous spot for pork lovers, as the delicacy is the main type of meat all over the area.

However, the dedication, sacrifice, faith and love exhibited by those few pilgrims who decide to walk to Namugongo from as far as DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and from the distant areas of Uganda like Karamoja, Kitgum, Kisoro and other areas to imitate the martyrs tend to be more significant to the event than any other off topic program that is arranged in relation to the function. Today it commonly believed that a bigger percentage of those who go to Namugongo on this day are basically motivated by what they are going to eat and drink from there with very few genuine believers going for the exact cause of the event.

Names Of Uganda Matrys

Uganda martyrs were 55 in number both Anglicans and Catholics and were killed at different spots. They include Achileus Kiwanuka, Adolpus Ludigo-Mukasa, Ambrosius Kibuuka, Anatoli Kiriggwajjo, Andrew Kaggwa, Antanansio Bazzekuketta, Bruno Sserunkuuma, Charles Lwanga, Denis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa, Gonzaga Gonza, Gyavira Musoke, James Buuzaabalyaawo, john Maria Muzeeyi, Joseph Mukasa, kizito, Lukka Baanabakintu, Matiya Mulumba, Mbaga Tuzinde, Mugagga Lubowa, Mukasa Kiriwawanvu, Nowa Mawaggali, Ponsiano Ngondwe.
Martyr’s day is full of prayers, confessions, testimonies, deliverance as well as entertainment. Different choirs have trained to sing and dance for the guests which will keep the, happy and lively throughout.

In terms of our everyday life, martyrs day is a source of income for local people. It’s the major source of market for local products such as soap, sugar, food, drinks, snacks and other necessities. Businesses people are assured of ready market at quite higher prices.

Caution on Uganda Martyrs day
Much as it’s a prayer day, people are reminded to be careful with their lives and properties. It’s known that there are some wicked people especially the robbers who join the congregation to steal their property and cause chaos. Also, people are reminded to mind the person you trust with their belongings and share confidential information with.

Safety Assurance on Uganda Martyrs day
People are assured of peace and order during this event. The Uganda people’s defense force (UPDF) together with the Uganda police force deploye army men and police to ensure safety of people and their properties.

In general, come be part of the Uganda martyrs day, prays confess, testify, get delivered and celebrate the lives of Christian converts who sacrificed to die for the word of God to spread and reach many people in all parts of the world. Uganda martyrs day is indeed a day to celebrate. After the Uganda Martyrs day celebrations one can decide to explore other tourist attractions activities near Kampala for instance game drive in Lake Mburo national park, water rafting at the Nile among others.

Madrid-Liverpool Clash In UEFA Champions League Final

Myuganda

May 21, 2018

The evening of May 26th 2018 will see two European giants Real Madrid and Liverpool lock horns for UEFA Champions League glory in Kiev Ukraine. Football fans all over the world are eagerly waiting to see who will turn out victorious between Real Madrid from Spain and Liverpool from England after the UEFA Champions League final clash this Saturday. The two sides meet in this year’s final after eliminating Bayern Munich and AS Roma in the semi finals respectively. Although many may tip Madrid as slight favorites to win the silverware basing on their recent success in 2014, 2016 and 2017, Liverpool’s potential to upset the defending champions cannot be underestimated.

The Reds have had an impressive season both locally in the English Premier League where they finished fourth and their Egyptian star Mohammad Salah winning the golden boot with a record breaking 32 goals and in Europe upsetting some of the good sides like Manchester City and AS Roma to book their place in the Saturday final. Real Madrid will be looking to set a new record in the competition as the first side to win the trophy in three consecutive years breaking the one they set last year for retaining the title since the competition was initiated in 1992. Liverpool will be hoping to win their first European title since their impressive second half come back from three goals down in 2005 in Istanbul Turkey that saw them topple AC Milan on penalties to win the trophy after a 3-3 draw. Madrid who the most successful side in this competition with 12 titles are the defending champions after edging Italian side Juventus 4-1 in last year’s final and they will be looking forward to win their record 13th Champions League Trophy whereas Liverpool will be hunting for their sixth title.

The Saturday final will offer soccer fans something to talk about especially in a period when all the European top football leagues have closed and the world cup is still a couple of weeks away. It will definitely set the tempo for the world cup due to kick off in Russia on June 14th. This is because some of the highly awaited for stars that are expected to shine in this football greatest tournament are also going to feature in this Final. These include Portugal’s star Christiano Ronaldo, Brazil’s Marcelo and Casemiro, Spain’s Sergio Ramos and Germany’s Toni Kroos all in the Real Madrid squad. Liverpool’s world cup stars include Egyptian wonder boy Mohammad Sala, Senegal’s Saido Mane, Brazil’s Roberto Fermino and England’s Jordan Henderson among others.

This year’s final is going to be hosted in Olimpiyskiy National Stadium Sports Complex, Kiev, Ukraine with a European capacity of 68,000 seats. According to UEFA, the European football governing body, both clubs will be allocated 17000 tickets each with 6,700 tickets also made available last month for the public via the UEFA website. Serbian referee Milorad Mazic will be the main official for the match assisted by other three fellow Serbs while the fourth official will be from France.
Both teams are in a good shape with no big injuries to cause any panic and each side is expected to produce their best piece of football to become the 2018 European Champions.

HISTORY
For those who may want to press a bet on this clash, we believe this brief history of the matches between the two sides will guide you a bit.
Both teams have so far met five times in Europe with Liverpool more victorious than Madrid, winning three times and losing two. The last match between the two was in November 2014 and it ended in Madrid’s favor with a 1-0 victory. The last European final between the two giants happened way back in 1981 in Paris France leaving Liverpool champions after a 1-0 triumph. For both Madrid and Liverpool fans we wish you good luck and feel free to post your prediction and let’s see how accurate you will be at the end of the match.

Football is an interesting game which catch attention of many people especially the youth. Taking part in sports tourism is a good venture which keep you fresh, happy and lively always. Other interesting activities that can be enjoyed besides sports include gorilla tours in Rwanda and Uganda, mountain climbing, bird watching and cultural tours among others.