The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Uganda ebola free after the country spending over 6 weeks without registering any new infections. Ebola emerged in Uganda in September last year and claimed 55 lives in the period of 3 months before it was effectively contained.
The statement from WHO which declared Uganda Ebola free was confirmed by the Organisation’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who hailed the country’s “robust and comprehensive response” to the epidemic.
“We have successfully controlled the Ebola outbreak in Uganda,” said Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng on Wednesday at the ceremony in Mubende district where the outbreak was first detected in September. She added that Wednesday marked 113 days since the outbreak of the pandemic which spread to other 8 districts including the capital Kampala.
According to the WHO criteria, a country is declared free of the outbreak after registering no new infections for 42 consecutive days. “Uganda put a swift end to the Ebola outbreak by ramping up key control measures such as surveillance, contact tracing and infection, prevention and control,” the WHO statement quoted the minister as saying.
According to WHO, there had been 142 confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda, 55 confirmed deaths and 87 recovered patients.
How Ebola was defeated in Uganda
According to the Ministry of health, Uganda’s success in defeating the Ebola outbreak nas been brought about by several measures that were put in place to control and end the epidemic which included the following;
Setting up an on-site Ebola testing mobile laboratory in Mubende district, where samples were picked, tested and results released within 6 hours.
constructed 353 bed capacity treatment units in Mubende, Madudu, Kassanda, Mulago and Entebbe and equipped them with medical supplies and drugs
Trained over 2,339 health workers of different categories from both public and private facilities. The healthcare workers were particularly trained in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) against the deadly Ebola Sudan Virus Infection, Psychosocial support and care for both patients and affected families and enhanced clinical care for the ebola positive patient.
Enhanced the surveillance system in all affected district; listing and contact tracing for 21 days, daily follow up of all contacts and active case search in the affected districts.
Carried out EVD Mortality surveillance (testing of all dead bodies for Ebola) in Kassanda, Mubende Masaka, Jinja, and Kampala districts. This was aimed at ensuring no unknown transmission chains were missed.
Intensified awareness about EVD through public addresses by the President and the Minister together with members of the strategic and scientific committee, daily talk shows and messages run by local radio stations, social media messages, door to door sensitisation of communities and sensitization of small community gatherings by the districts and community task forces.
Restriction of movements in and out of the two districts of Mubende and Kassanda and an all-night curfew to control the spread of the virus to other districts.
Quarantine of contacts for 21 days to avoid spread to others. This was especially useful in the urban areas of Kampala Metropolitan area and for resistant communities in Mubende district.
Costs and Challenges
The Ebola outbreak led to misery and suffering especially in the two districts of Mubende and Kasanda where the epidemic was first detected. Majority of the 55 deaths from the outbreak were registered in these two districts. In addition to the loss of lives, the government went on to impose lockdown on the two districts in order to contain the outbreak. This crippled economic activities in the area hence affecting people’s sources of income.
At a national level, the tourism sector has been greatly affected by the Ebola outbreak. Many tourists cancelled their trips to the country after hearing about the Ebola outbreak while those who who were planning to visit stopped their plans.
What the end to the outbreak means to Uganda
The news about the the end of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda has been warmly welcomed across the country. The lockdown imposed in the two entangled districts of Mubende and Kasanda was lifted in mid December which has enabled people there to resume their economic activities normally. The tourism sector is also rejoicing about this success with huge hope that both local and international tourists will visit be moving to their desired tourist destinations in the country without any fear of contracting the deadly disease.
Some of the most outstanding experiences that attract tourists to Uganda include gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi impenetrable national park to see the endangered mountain gorillas. Others include chimpanzee tracking, game viewing, bird watching and nature walks in several game reserves including Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National parks. Uganda is also home to breathtaking adventurous experiences like white-water rafting at the source of the Nile in Jinja and climbing Mount Rwenzori, the third highest mountain in Africa.
Since the end of the colonial era in Africa, many countries in the continent have tried abandoning colonial names. However, one might be surprised to see that several roads in Ugandan cities are still named after some colonial figures.
In Fort Portal Tourism city near Kibale Forest National Park, Lugard road is an example that has kept alive the history of the British East Africa Company that sent Captain Frederick Lugard to the Kingdom of Buganda in 1890. Coming along with two fellow Europeans, an African mercenary army and a battered old Maxim gun, he traveled from the coast of East Africa to Buganda by land to persuade Kabaka (King) Mwanga to agree to a deal that would allow them to establish a protectorate.
The French missionaries were the first to arrive in Buganda, raising fears among the British that they would try to take over the territory. The German explorer and colonial agent Carl Peters also was visiting Mwanga to sign a treaty in favour of the Germans. But, Lugard arriving cunningly with his small army caused the Kabaka to fear and ignored the deal he had attempted to make with French and Germans altogether.
Finally, Mwanga agreed to Lugard’s terms thereby sign the treaty that resulted in the Uganda Protectorate to be established in 1894. The protectorate extended far beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Buganda bringing all other traditional kingdoms of Ankole, Bunyoro under one umbrella. By then, the capital of Buganda was at Entebbe.
This has led many historians to argue whether it was the Maxim gun that compelled the Kabaka to give land to the British which frustrated the French and Germans that were competing for the same. Because the gun was considered unreliable given that H.M Stanley had dragged it across the Equatorial rainforests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on his insane expedition to relieve Emin Pasha, who was besieged by the so-called Mahtma Gandi and his Sudanese fanatics.
Upon arriving in the land of Buganda, Lugard established a camp and built a fort on a hill opposite Mengo Palace. The area now occupied by Kampala capital city contained several hills and swamps which were a habitat for the Impalas, an antelope species now found in Lake Mburo and Kidepo National Parks. The Kabaka preferred hunting the Impala given that the animal wasn’t a totem of his clan therefore not forbidden for eating. So, the hill where Lugard set a camp was locally referred to as “Akasozi K’empala” meaning the hill of the Impalas in English. Because these animals lived there in large population, Lugard trying to live like locals translated and shortened the Luganda word to “Kampala.” Over time, the local people adapted to the new name until it became official at declaration of Uganda’s independence on 9th October 1962.
This year, Uganda celebrates its 60th anniversary under the theme “A declaration of African interdependence and our shared destiny.” Among many things to ponder for history lovers is re-enacting what happened in the past explorers journey and the impact they left throughout the country. Here a few sites that can be visited to reveal the colonial impact on Uganda for those intending to explore the history of the country.
The Uganda National Museum
With over a million collections of artefacts, the national museum of Uganda is one of the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Several exhibitions tell the natural heritage and history of Uganda from earliest to modern times. Go there to look at all aspects of life and culture told in pictures, exhibits, machines, education and much more will be shared with you by the tour guide.
Kabaka’s Palace – Mengo
Situated on Mengo hill one of the 7 historic hills of Kampala city, Kabaka’s Palace was built in 1922 during the reign of Ssekabaka Daudi Chwa II, the 34th and first king of Buganda kingdom to become Christian. While on your visit to Mengo Palace, you will learn about the historical events that shaped the politics of Uganda after independence including the civil war of 1966 that forced the Kabaka out of his palace into exile. Explore the torture chambers in the palace, and visit the Royal Mile Walk to Bulange building the parliament of Buganda to learn about the totems of the 42 clans in the kingdom. There’s a shop where you can get some bark cloth souvenirs and other beautiful art pieces. Mengo palace can be visited as part of your Kampala city tour which offers an opportunity to explore other historical sites such as Kasubi Royal Tombs a UNESCO world heritage site, Namirembe and Rubaga cathedrals, among others.
Source of the Nile River – Jinja
Head to Jinja city, which is 83 km. (2-hour drive) east of Kampala to explore the source of the Nile River discovered by John Speke in late 19th century. In addition, Jinja offers several adventurous experiences which led to it being nicknamed the “Adventure Capital of East Africa”. Grade V white-water-rafting, kayaking, calm river sliding, bungee jumping, horseback riding, cycling as well as day trips to islands are available for visitors.
Murchison Falls National Park
The largest conservation area of Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park holds the powerful waterfall along the Nile River which bisects the park. The northern banks contain savanna habitats providing home to 79 mammals species including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffe, hippos and several antelope species such as Uganda kob, topi, oribi, bush and waterbucks. Go for day and night game drives or soar above the Nile with a hot air balloon experience. Visit Murchison falls during the dry season June to September and December to February. This is not only the best time for game viewing but also for chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo Forest Reserve situated south of the Nile within the park. Budongo forest also features several historical attractions including the Royal Mile walk and Our lady Queen of Poland Catholic church.
Stay at Emin Pasha Hotel
Situated on Nakasero hill in Kampala capital city, the boutique hotel was named after the historic German Explorer Emin Pasha who lived and spoke the local languages of Buganda and Bunyoro kingdoms. He’s credited having contributed a lot in understanding the geography of Equatorial Africa and advocated for end of slave trade. Emin Pasha hotel provides great hygienic accommodation with air conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi, gardens and swimming pool.
Hiking Mount Stanley in Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Mount Stanley’s Margherita peak (5,109m) is the tallest peak in Uganda and 3rd in Africa. Hiking the Rwenzori mountain takes between 8 to 12 days for those intending to reach the equatorial glaciers at the summit. This is a technical climb that requires experience in high altitude hiking. However, there are several hiking trails for people who want easier treks. You’ll get to experience nature and spectacular scenery with snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes, 5 zones of vegetation and over 200 species of birds as well as chimpanzees.
Nyege Nyege is annual festival which takes place in Uganda’s eastern city of Jinja as a collective that promotes outsider music performed by a variety of African artists. The event was started in 2013 by two expats, Derek Debru and Arlen Dilsizian. It’s name was derived from the Luganda language spoken in central Uganda which means “shaking the body excitedly.” This year’s festival which will take place between September 15 and 18 will run under the theme of ‘Peace, Love and Joy.’
You should not worry about the past Pandora of covid but this is going to be a jubilation of a lifetime as you are going to have an endless partying experience for over 96hours with lots of exciting funs and events that are scheduled for the event as only your pockets will determine the amount of fun you’re going to have at the festival.
This time round it’s going to be marvellous for the city revellers and other outgoing party animals that are destined to be at the grand opening of the festival.
Many organisations have partnered with the premium brewing company known as “Uganda Waragi” the spirit of Uganda as the main sponsors of the event and with trust this year’s 7th Edition is going to be colourful with lots of revellers expected to attend from different parts of the country and vast nations worldwide.
This time round the government of Uganda through ministry of tourism and wildlife and antiquities with guidance of the prime minister there have been new restructures that are put in place to ensure proper lining of the events activities towards cultural dimensions.
The festival driving force
Perhaps this event has turned to be a driving force in regards to the promotion of the local based artist’s music and dance as it stimulates a lot of vigor and rhythms which have a multicultural sound style of play.
The event has led to revolutionary technological advancement with most artists now days prefer the use of modern technology production of their music.
Music and dance
Preferably Music and dance moves together now and before in Africa, with the unfortunate part of it when represented at the global level, these two peripherals often get divided. As the Nyegenyege project aims building music and dance as a single entity with some steps fore taken involving contemporary dancers and choreographers to construct a modern perception towards the musical industry.
This time round the first phase of the event will be taking place Uganda surrounding the Nyegenyege festival with all the residencies before and after the project is done.
Basing on the musical facts Nyegenyege festival re ignites people with different cultures and religions from different parts of the world as they team up together to celebrate such a highly projected festival full fun music and others which will simply stirrup peoples joy.
What else to see and do while in Jinja
Jinja being one of the industrialized cities in Uganda and the second largest after Kampala city, you should not miss key tourisms facts while around this area as listed below.
Source of the Nile Visit.
White water rafting experience at the Nile
Bungee jumping experience
Visit Masese landing site
Busoga Kingdom cultural exploration
Kagulu rock climbing
A lot has been said on the Nyegenyege festival with bit of contrasts from other Ugandan leaders section of the parliament who has been asking on torrent issues concerning the festivals aims but this has been later resolved and given green light by the first premier minister of Uganda since this festival looks towards promoting tourism and also show casing different cultural dimensions a cross.
The Karamojong community is located in the north-eastern part of Uganda along the border with South Sudan to the north, the Rift valley around Lake Turkana in Kenya to the west and mount Elgon to the south. Covering about 27,200 sq.km, the region has semi-arid climate with seasonal rainfall and semi-arid savanna plains punctuated by volcanic mountains and rocks kopjes.
The Karamojong districts
It’s the opposite side of the green and fertile south-west Uganda. There are several districts that form Karamojong community. These include Abim, Amudat, Nakapiripiti, Kotido, Napak, Kaboong and Moroto with the largest urban center – Moroto town. These areas are inhabited by the Nilotic ethnic tribes who are largely semi-nomadic pastoralists. Including the Karamojong (the majority) among others such as the Pokot, Matheniko, Bokora, Pian Tepeth, Jie, Dodoth, and Teutho (IK bush men).
All these tribes belong to the Nilotic language family and are closely related to the Masai, Luo and Dinka in Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan. However, most of these tribes especially the Karamojong are patriarchal in nature. The elders are the ones that lead the community and teach young boys plays to preserve the culture of their forefathers. They also take pride in herding their cattle as livelihood and a measure of wealth in society.
Cultural set up of Karamojong
Traditionally, men must own as many heads of cattle as possible to pay pride price and the stronger tribes would often raid cattle from their weaker counterparts. The practice of cattle raiding in Karamoja region in particular is a tradition that has through history changed to be violent. People depend on milk and dairy products such as ghee as staple foods. However, they also practice hunting and cultivation of grains to a smaller extent. Due to the strong cattle culture, these people have for centuries lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle in which they must move from place, season after another in search of water and pasture due to persistent drought. As such, land and water are the most important resources and therefore any changes in land ownership means disruption of their traditions.
Beginning of social unrest
Since the arrival of Europeans and the subsequent introduction of Christianity, education, politics, taxes, a lot has happened in the Karamoja land. The social unrest today could to a higher extent related to the resistance the tribes might have put against some of the social-economic changes. For instance, the government of Uganda has been encouraging them to move away from their ancestral lands through creation of protected areas such as Kidepo Valley National and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve in the 1960s. The highlights for travelers visiting Karamoja is to take game drive safari, bush walks in either of the destinations as well as go to a local homestead to learn their way of life including Karamoja breakfast.
Tourism development a challenge to the locals
Tourism has great potential to bring good infrastructure, protect the environmental, preserve their culture preservation and create alternative source of livelihood other than depending on cattle. However, the creation of several protected areas shortly before Uganda’s independence which the sector depends is cited to have led to loss of land and largely restricted free movements of the pastoralists.
Political influence of Karamojong
It should also be noted that some of the tribes who mutually depended on each other were politically divided during the colonial period. The boundaries were marked between independent states of Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan. The political division carried on in the post-independence governments. For instance, president Idi Amin after capturing power from Obote (I) established military control of grazing lands around Mount Moroto. When Amin was overthrown in 1979, the Karamojong and other rival tribes had opportunity to acquire guns from Moroto army barracks and reportedly learnt how to make hand-made guns therefore setting ground for violent armed conflicts including cattle raiding and struggle to access land and water for their animals.
Even though cattle raiding was a tradition it wasn’t that violent. In an attempt to regain control of their lost grazing areas, increase cattle and expand territory, conflicts emerged between the Karamojong with violent crashes against other neighboring communities in Teso and Lango. Most of civilians lost their lives and raping of women was reportedly committed by cattle warriors. It’s also cited in paper titled “The Karamojong: A pastoral People Under Colonial Rule” published 22 January 2009 in the Journal of African History that the Ugandan pastoral groups such as Matheniko and Pokot were being attacked by the Turkan from Kenya and therefore had to defend themselves further increasing cross-border insecurity.
After the fall of Idi Amin, the Obote II government put in place military units to stop the Karamojong from raiding the Iteso and Lango. This wasn’t successful given that president Obote was under threat by the National Resistance Army (NRA) which waged war against him in 1980. Many people from pastoral groups especially Karamojong joined the guerrilla war which captured power in 1986 that brought His Excellency president Museveni to power until today. After the war, they went back with more guns and a fresh outbreak of armed cattle raids and insecurity worsened in Karamoja between 1986 to 2001.
For the love to restore peace and security in the region the NRA government carried out several interventions over a period of time including disarming the armed cattle warriors, controlling gun trafficking, implementing peace initiatives within and across the Kenya-Uganda cross-borders. On top of resolving the cattle conflict, there were long standing challenges to deal with including persistent drought and water scarcity, hunger and starvation as well as provision of health care services.
In that regard, Karamoja became a focal point of so many government programs, non-governmental and community-based organizations seeking to restore peace, increase water access for both livestock and humans, improve physical infrastructure among others. The Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Program (KIDDP) was established in 2007. This came after more than 10,000 guns were collected in several Karamoja disarmament phases between 2001 – 2002, 2003 to 2006 and onwards. There was peace for business and people to operate.
Poor land tenure system causes conflicts
Land belongs to Ugandan citizens, according to Article 237(1) of the Constitution, and Article 26(1) protects the right to own property either individually or in association with others, such as groups of people who hold land communally (Handbook on Land Ownership, Uganda). In particular, the people in Karamoja traditionally handled their land under a communal tenure system.
Given that there are different pastoral and non-pastoral tribes, land wasn’t equally owned in which some have huge portions than others. A noteworthy change occurred in 1965 land reforms in which almost 95% of Land in Karamoja was reserved for conservation. The protected areas which were created including Kidepo Valley National Park, Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve in the area where Pokot and Pian tribes live, Matheniko-Bokora Wildlife Reserve where the Matheniko dwell and Karenga Mountains Wildlife Reserve.
The locals could no longer access these conservation areas putting large portions of land into the hands of government rather than communities. This meant that the state had rights to give land to investors including several NGOs that were delivering aid, promoting peace and development into the region. This caused a lot of tension between government and pastoral groups over land rights.
To put some relief, in 2002, the authorities reduced by 53.8 % the total conservation area land. Now to the state owns about 40.8% of Karamoja land according to a survey conducted between by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in 2003 and April 2016, respectively.
Mineral resources in Karamojong community
Furthermore, over the time the government of Uganda discovered that Karamoja is rich in mineral resources including gold, uranium, limestone, copper among others. Although the quantity of these minerals isn’t clearly known yet, the presence of over 20 different minerals was confirmed during the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum (UCMP) aerial mineral survey in 2011.
Several mineral development companies expressed interest and huge chunks of land were given to mining companies both local and foreign to explore mineral resources. Some of the mining companies include Tororo Cement, Leadway Uganda Limited, a marble mining company, Samit Group Limited deals with marble stones in Moroto.
Harms Investment deals with gold mining in Lopedo in the Kaabong district; the African Leg Investment deal with limestone excavation in Moroto among others. Besides the mining sector, there are other sectors operating in Karamoja such as Ministry of Water and Environment, Transport and Health.
However, the mining sector has been the most targeted recently by gunmen attacking workers at different sites which have forced investors to flee. The news reported by the Independent Uganda News Paper indicate that three geologists lost their lives earlier this year and insecurity has continued to rise in Moroto and Kabong districts.
That the local youth among the pastoral communities accuse the government of stealing their land resources despite claims that mining sectors provides revenue on sub-county level. Given that the land owned by pastoralists continues to diminish, they are forced to sell their cattle to find alternative ways of survival. “Cattle rustlers have now turned against looting and killing people says Joseph Okurut a resident of Rupa Sub- County in Moroto district because there are no more animals to raid.”
According to Michael Longole, spokesman for the Karamoja Regional Police, joint security forces are working hard to ensure that investors are safeguarded. This means that tourism is still ongoing for those intending to visit Kidepo or Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Uganda provides tourists and locals alike with an abundance of locally grown varieties of food including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and grains. On anyone intending to visit or live in the Pearl of Africa, find the information to guide you for shopping and local food markets in Kampala capital city. Selling food in Uganda is a thriving local business given that over 65% of the 45 million people are directly involved in farming related activities (Uganda National Housing Survey 2017). Furthermore, the statistics show that the agricultural sector contributes about 73% of total experts and 25% of Uganda’s Growth Domestic Policy (GDP).
What visitors enjoy most about Ugandan food
Fresh foods, vegetables and fruits are among the most organically produced and exported crops along with coffee, bananas (Matooke), tea, cotton, tobacco, vanilla, flowers, freshwater fish and poultry products. This is due to presence of rich fertile soils making Uganda rank 3rd in Africa for having the most arable organic land. Agriculture still depends on natural weather cycle for small scale farmers with minimal use chemical fertilizers which helps to keep the food natural. That’s why foreigners enjoy eating Ugandan food for the first time without having any stomach complications. Another reason for this is the good handling and transportation. For instance, from the western region trailers that bring Matooke, Irish potatoes, Apples and vegetables tend to travel in the cool of the night in order to reach markets in Kampala capital city when the food is still fresh.
Should you get fresh food at local markets or supermarkets
Popular fresh food markets in Kampala include Nakasero food market, Mengo market and USAFI market. Then the supermarkets, hotels and restaurants are able to source their ingredients from there and the price of food on shelves will slightly be higher than at the markets. Therefore, shopping for food at the local markets provides you with fresh food at affordable prices. This depends on your convenience to access what you need to get. Fresh food can also be obtained at the road side markets on major highways an experience in its own right. Road side markets offer a chance to observe or even sample Ugandan street foods such as rolex (rolled eggs and chappati), roasted meat (Mchomo) and roasted banana (Gonja).
At the markets, vegetables and fruits are the most abundant from Avocado, oranges and pineapples to spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages. However, fruits such as grapes, blue berries, raspberries, apples, pomegranates, cucumber, olives, desert dates, papaws (papaya), Kiwi among others can be obtained both in large markets like Nakasero in Kampala city or in supermarkets and malls where they are safely kept in refrigerators.
Value addition to Ugandan food and coffee
There are particular foods whose value has been increased especially by special industrial processing both for export and consumption domestically. From roasted Matooke crisps and flour, sweet and Irish potato crisps to frozen and dried fruit pulp, dried bitter berries, red and black chill paper powder. Coffee in Uganda is grown and produced everywhere but large amounts come from farmers on the slopes of Mount Elgon in the east and Rwenzori in the west. As Africa’s second largest producer of coffee, Uganda adds a lot of value to it and is processed for export. Visitors can take part in coffee experience – from farm to cup at Sipi falls in Kapchorwa. Value addition to Ugandan food also includes non-alcoholic beverages made from millet and sorghum. These are ready for consumption and can be obtained in markets and shops especially in Kampala capital city. In fact, many Ugandans who live abroad tend to pack them whenever they return home for holidays.
Tips for buying fresh vegetables and fruits
Make sure to wash the food you buy with cold water especially those eaten raw with their skin on. Most farmers growing fruits and vegetables in Uganda use herbicides to spray.
Shopping for food at the local markets provides you with fresh food at affordable prices than in the malls.
Popular Ugandan food experiences
Banana beer brewing activity is available at Rest in Banana Gardens located in Busimba village near Kibale Forest National Park. This food experience can also be done in Buhoma Bwindi sector after gorilla trekking.
Entanda cultural village in Mityana district offers opportunity to harvest and prepare organic foods. Here visitors get a chance to participate in the entire process of harvesting, preparation and cooking food. A buffet of fresh fruits is also available for visitors to eat for free.
Coffee from farm to cup experience is offered on community walks from Sipi falls in Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda. Also, coffee tours in Kampala capital city can be done to Kabanyole Makerere University Research station in Gayaza.
When in Kampala capital city, you can learn how food in Buganda is prepared including Luwombo and rolex. With the help of a tour operator, visitors will be provided with guidance on where to do that from.
Uganda has 10 national parks of which 8 are found in the western region. Most travelers go to the west for safari through Queen Elizabeth, Kibale Forest, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. These areas are rich in biodiversity with diverse species of wildlife including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes and tropical birds. Nature and wildlife is one of the main motives for the 1.54 million visitors received in 2019 of which about 350,000 visited the protected areas. According to the New Vision Paper of Jan 15th 2022, Stephen Masaba Uganda Wildlife Authority’s director of Tourism and Business Development said that due to the Covid 19 pandemic between 2020 – 2021, the arrival numbers reduced to 473000 due to travel related restrictions. However, the restart of tourism in 2022 has seen almost all global restrictions lifted in particular Uganda borders are now open. Visitors arriving at Entebbe international airport don’t need to test for covid-19 but rather present a negative PCR test carried out within 72 prior to arrival. Consequently, the tourism industry is recovering despite challenges and this year’s World Tourism Day theme – “Rethinking Tourism” tells us to take advantage of emerging opportunities and trends to reconsider how we conduct tourism.
Plastic waste production in Uganda
Prevention of plastic pollution in particular seems to be of concern among the tourism fraternity in Uganda given that the number of tourist arrivals is projected to rise again. Recently, East African nations including Rwanda and Kenya decided to outlaw the entry of single-use plastic objects into their protected areas. In particular, Uganda had pledged to reduce the use in 2017 following the example of her neighbors. But the law hasn’t been implemented due to a disagreement brought on by the plastics manufacturing industry in the country. The 2009 Finance Act’s Section 2 forbids the importation, local manufacture, sale, or use of plastic bags or bags made of polymers of ethene and polyethene.” The proposed ban was directed at stopping polythene papers (Buveera) and alcohol sachets which have turned out to be most items used therefore creating a lot of waste countrywide.
In general, the daily usage volume of plastic waste in Uganda is estimated to be 600 metric tons according to Uganda Biodiversity Fund. This comes from the increasing industrial production of plastics in form of soft drinks and snacks which feeds the traders operating shops both retail and wholesale. Some of the industries such as Kasese distillers are located in Kasese Municipality and Fort Portal city close to the protected areas including Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Chances are high that a considerable amount of plastic waste might be entering the parks as locals and tourists transit through which could harm the wildlife.
Plastic bags take more than 1000 years to decompose yet the public seems to be lacking a sense of responsibility which puts a burden both financially and environmentally on nature. For instance, the Kampala Capital City Authority report indicates that about 10 billion Uganda shillings ($2.7m) is spent annually to remove plastic waste from drainage channels. The reports shows that only 40% of the estimated waste is collected and properly disposed off and the remaining 60% is left to disappear into the soil, lakes, rivers and forests. This puts at risk the wildlife such as fish and also harms the soil fertility in and around Lake Victoria basin.
What the tourism industry wants to be done about single-use plastics
In this regard, the tourism stakeholders in Uganda are calling the government to look at possible ways of stopping plastic waste from entering into the national parks. Tour operators and hoteliers are encouraged try to find substitutes to single-use plastics they use to pack food and beverages for their guests. This something achievable given that the accommodation facilities within the parks that still use straws, plastic forks, silver plates and can apply proper waste management ways to minimize litter. This might not work voluntarily but laws should be enforced to govern the use and storage of some single-use plastics across the tourism industry.
The Uganda Tourism Board quality assurance department has been enforcing laws regarding quality of services and legality amongst the tour operators, hoteliers and transport providers. The same could be done in regard to stopping the plastic objects from accessing the parks through collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and other stakeholders. The National Environmental Authority (NEMA) which is one of the stakeholders responsible for implementing the single use plastic ban is tasked with encouraging manufacturers to collect and recycle their waste, sensitize the public and monitor the areas that are prone to plastic pollution. The authority indicates that less than 5% of plastic waste is recycled thus calling for interested investors and artists to take advantage especially in Kampala which accounts for large volumes of plastic waste.
Despite all the proposed measure, the responsibility still lies in the hands of individuals. Locals and international visitors are encouraged to take care and avoid poor disposal of plastic waste.
Tips to reducing plastic items from accessing the parks in Uganda
Properly dispose of your trash and use as little water and energy as possible. Don’t throw rubbish from the window of a car or drop a water bottle anywhere after using it.
Buy locally made bags to use when shopping instead of taking plastics from the shop to your home.
Pack light when traveling
Choose responsible travel operators and accommodations when booking your safari
Rwanda’s capital Kigali is hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which kicked-off on Monday 20 June. The meeting will go on until Saturday 25 June.
Rwanda is hosting the first CHOGM since 2018 when it last took place in London. Kigali was selected to host the following meeting which was scheduled to take place in 2020 but it has since been postponed twice due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CHOGM brings together leaders majorly from Britain former colonies to meet every two years to discuss their common interests. This time around, leaders will be meeting in Kigali to reaffirm their common values and agree actions and policies to improve the lives of their citizens. Key issues to be discussed during the meeting include tackling poverty and climate change, recovery from Covid-19 pandemic, promoting sustainable development, boosting trade, among others.
‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’ is the theme for CHOGM 2022.
Key guests
Along with the heads of states and other leaders from the Commonwealth, there are many other high-profile individuals attending CHOGM in Kigali. These include the Prince of Wales, Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. The Prince will be representing Queen Elizabeth II who is unable to attend the meeting in Kigali. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is also attending the meeting in Kigali alongside other leaders.
Meetings to be held
CHOGM 2022 will see a series of meetings held on each day till its completion on Saturday. These were kicked-off by the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) on Sunday which was followed by the Commonwealth Women’s Forum (CWF) on Monday. Others include the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF), Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF). The ceremony will also include a series of high-level Ministerial Meetings which will include Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group Meeting and the Commonwealth Ministers Meeting on Small States. Others will include First Lady’s event on Unity and Reconciliation and the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting. The ceremony will be climaxed by executive sessions on in its last two days which will include the official CHOGM opening ceremony followed by executive sessions on Friday. Sessions on Saturday, the last day of the ceremony will include Foreign Ministers’ Roundtables with with Civil Society and Associated Organisations, Retreat for Commonwealth Heads of Government, Closing Executive Session, Concluding Press Conference and Meeting of the Reconstituted Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.
Rwanda’s First Lady Jeannette Kagame officially opened the Commonwealth Women’s Forum on Monday with the theme,“Delivering a Common Future: Transforming Gender Equality.”
“The 2022 Kigali CHOGM Women’s Forum does not just occur in a country that consistently pushes for the emergence and recognition of women in leadership. It occurs in a country where rape was used barely three decades ago as a weapon of war. Today, Rwanda is ranked by the World Economic Forum as the seventh country in the world for closing the gender gap,” she said.
“We, too, can adapt our strategies for accelerated progress, our service provision, our collaboration frameworks, our militancy and advocacy, our education and research, and every tool in the arsenal which will combat gender inequality in order to transform for better the landscape in which we exist.” She added.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland called upon the 54 member states to have a closer cooperation in order to achieve gender equality and women empowerment.
CHOGM 2022 a coup for Rwanda
Hosting CHOGM 2022 is seen as a major success for Rwanda, a country which only obtained admission into the Commonwealth organisation in 2009. The East African nation will be using the ceremony as a platform to enhance herself to the international audience. Rwanda can use CHOGM 2022 to further promote her sectors like trade and tourism by attracting investment and tourists. The country is already investing heavily in tourism through campaigns like Visit Rwanda which has seen thousands of travellers visit the “Land of A Thousand Hills” for amazing experiences like gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda has welcomed two more baby gorillas in the previous week. The first of the two births was reported by the Uganda Wildllife Authority (UWA) on May 13 while the second was announced four days later by the same Authority.
According to UWA, the first baby gorilla was born to adult female female Kebirungi of the Nshongi gorilla family in Rushaga sector while the second belonged to the Christmas gorilla family born by adult female Kiiza in the Nkuringo sector.
“Great News! We are excited to announce our newest mountain gorilla baby, born this week in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Adult female Kebirungi of the Nshongi gorilla family was first seen with her healthy newborn baby on 9th May 2022.” UWA tweeted.
“UWA’s field teams have since been trying to get the first images of the first baby, an effort that was concluded yesterday. This new gorilla brings the total number of individuals in the Nshongi family of Bwindi’s Rushaga sector from 12 to 13. We are so glad to also confirm that both Kebirungi and Bweza, the father, are in good health. Like the meaning in her name (“beautiful”), help us wish Kebirungi’s cute baby a ver long and beautiful life.” UWA added.
On the second birth, UWA wrote;
“It’s a mountain gorilla BABY BOOM in Uganda. Meet the newest member of the Christmas family in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.”
“Kiiza is a name given to a child who is born after twins. It is heartwarming to see her bring new life to earth, and is a testimony to the excellent work done by our teams, communities, and partners in conserving these iconic species. We wish them a long and healthy life.”
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Natioanal Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is Uganda’s major home to the endangered mountain gorillas. The Park protects almost half of the global population of these gentle and large primates with over 400 of them living within its boundaries. Bwindi is also the leading destination for Uganda gorilla tours with travellers coming from across the globe to trek these elusive species in their natural habitat. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s second home of mountain gorillas and the park is also popularly known for protecting the endangered golden monkeys.
To trek gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga, each trekker is charged $700 for foreign non residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX250,000 for East African citizens. Majority of tourists who visit Uganda combine their gorilla trekking safaris with other wildlife experiences like game viewing and primate tracking in large game reserves like Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park in the west.
Dry seasons like June to September and December to February are the best seasons for travellers to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi due to the favourable conditions in the park. Trekking through the thick vegetation and hiking the rugged montane terrain of the park is made much difficult in the rain season due to muddy and slippery conditions. Gorillas are also easily seen during the dry season since they freely move in all sectors of the park.
Conquer your fears and engage in an adventurous activity that will put your adrenaline to test. Uganda, better known for wildlife safaris like gorilla tours in Bwindi, has also got adventurous spots that host lots of nerve cracking and breathtaking experiences.
The source of the Nile, Jinja dubbed as “the capital of adventure” is the most popular spot for activities that will put you on the edge. Along the Nile, white water rafting, bungee jumping, cycling, horseback riding, kayaking and tubing are done.
The other spots for adventurous activities in Uganda are Rwenzori ranges and Mountain Elgon which offer the most challenging hiking expeditions in the country. Sipi Falls on Mount Elgon offer abseiling a unique hike experience peculiar to the African continent and also the different national game parks peripherally provide activities like cycling, hot air balloon safari and horseback riding.
The list of adventurous activities to do in Uganda is endless and we came up with the most popular seven basing on the experience of previous travellers.
Whitewater Rafting at Itanda falls – River Nile
Uganda has so many raised landforms making mountaineering a doable activity. Travellers normally seek out Rwenzori Ranges, the Mountains of the Moon, Mount Elgon, a huge dormant volcano and the scenic and misty Virunga ranges. Rwenzori ranges situated in Kasese, west of Uganda on the congo borders has the highest peak and is the most hiked mountain in Uganda. Its summits are snow-capped attracting numerous climbers from different parts of the globe to hike it. It averagely takes 9 days to ascend and descend the mountains of the moon. The other formidable mountain to hike is Mountain Elgon, a towering dormant volcano with one of the largest intact calderas in the world. The hike of Elgon provides beautiful sightings of Wagagi peak, Sipi falls, natural vegetation and Arabica coffee plantations.
Virunga ranges are worth a mention, Uganda has three of the ranges that make up the Virunga massif, namely Gahinga, Mufumbiro, and muhavura. These little volcanoes are the most scenic landscapes you can ever hike. They shelter varied wildlife species including the endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and countless bird species.
Mountain climbing in Uganda is daunting due to the heights of the mountains but ever exciting and adventurous since these raised landforms are biodiversities themselves and also possess beautiful features like waterfalls, glaciers, calderas, unique rocks as well as wildlife.
Abseiling at Sipi
Abseiling activity is not usual in Uganda and it is only hosted at Sip Falls along Mount Elgon in the east of the country.
A cliff at Sipi Falls renders a chance to let your adrenaline rush. Abseiling is a devil daring activity that involves descending a rock face or cliff by using a doubled rope coiled around your body and fixed at a higher point. The activity is well facilitated with professionally trained instructors and standard abseiling tools to guarantee the safety of the participants.
Hot Air Balloon Safari
The hot air balloon safari takes place in Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park organised by Dream Balloon. During the hot air balloon tour at Murchison Falls National Park, Visitors use parachutes like aircraft with an engine ignition to fly around the park having an aerial view of the dotted savannah prairies, animals and River Nile and its plummeting white waterfalls. The moment offers a mixed feeling of excitement and fear. A maximum of 8 passengers are carried in each balloon and only persons of six years and above are allowed to take part in the activity.
Horseback Riding
The most popular places for horseback riding are Jinja and Lake Mburo National park. Horseback riding in Jinja is a unique ride through the remote villages of the area and outstanding landscapes on the margins of the River Nile. Lake Mburo National Park offers a different experience as it involves riding through the wilderness indiscriminately encountering exotic animals like zebras, impalas, Ugandan kobs, elands and other grazers. This is such an enthralling experience.
Bungee Jumping in Jinja
Breaking out of your comfort zone and doing things that make your blood rush with enthusiasm, the complete feeling of satisfaction. A great way to do this is by going bungee jumping in Jinja
One of the astonishing things about going bungee jumping is the moment when one leaps into or jumps over the Nile River, the longest river in the world. Touching the fresh, white waters of this river is remarkable. The safety standards of the Nile high bungee are extremely great and as a matter of fact, they are equivalent to those in New Zealand. Every item used for this spectacular activity is critically tested by one of the staff members to ensure complete safety.
The bungee cords used are made of pure white latex rubber which is of the highest quality and the best material recommended by manufacturers worldwide. It has an appropriate span, so there is no need to be scared that the cord might tear in the middle of one’s jump, during the 47m drop in the air. One can go bungee jumping at any time of the day, including in the dark!
The minimum age for going bungee jumping is 13 years which brings about a suitable age range for doing this.
Zip Lining in Mabira forest
Within Mabira a huge rainforest located a few miles away from Kampala, there is a canopy aerial trail that passes through the tallest trees in the rainforest. Travellers tied with ropes ski through the trees across a web of 5 zip lines that reach as far as River Musamya. The zip lines are 250 metres off the ground and participants are guided by sky captains. On this sky trail, an array of varied wildlife species is encountered including monkeys, reptiles, amphibians, birds, butterflies and unique plants.
Cycling and Mountain Biking
Cycling is done in every part of the country but the ideal places for cycling are Jinja and Bwindi impenetrable forest. Biking in Jinja takes place in the areas contagious to River Nile like Kakira, Walukuba, Bugembe and Jinja city. In Bwindi, the biking trails pass through the forest region and the nearby towns of Kabale and Kisoro.
There is huge excitement at the Uganda-Rwanda border of Gatuna after it was reopened for travellers to cross into either country. The border had been partially reopened at the end of January but only cargo vehicles could be allowed to cross.
Travellers especially from Rwanda had got excited following the announcement of the first reopening but only to be told they could not cross to Uganda due to some diplomatic challenges that were still pending between the two neighbouring countries. However, last week the government of Rwanda announced that the border would be opened this week and all those wishing to travel to Uganda are free to move.
Covid-19 testing at the border
The government of Rwanda emphasised that passengers maybe subjected to random Covid-19 testing upon entry. In addition to this, the government also requires all passengers leaving the country to be fully vaccinated and this also applies to those want to access public places. Those attending events must present negative Covid-19 test results taken within 48 hours before the meeting.
A relief to tourists
Since the border was closed 3 years ago, it has been very difficult for tourists to cross into either country. There are many tourists who cross from Rwanda to Uganda especially those wishing to trek the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is located close to this border. This is basically because the distance from Kigali to Bwindi is shorter compared to that from Kampala and therefore tourists take less time to reach the park when coming from Rwanda. The reopening therefore presents a huge relief to both tourists and tour operators in both countries.
Revamping trade
The volume of trade between Rwanda and Uganda was really high before the closure of the border with the two countries exchanging goods including agricultural products, merchandise and labour. People living near the border from both countries were one of the most affected when trade was halted since it was so easy to do business across the border. The reopening is therefore warmly welcomed by the business community in both countries who are hoping to resume trade and try to compensate for the losses suffered during the closure.
Reconnecting families and friends
Rwanda and Uganda are indeed sister countries with many families having members either side of the border. This is due to historical factors like wars which forced many people to cross especially from Rwanda seeking safety. This included the Rwanda civil war of 1959 and the recent genocide of 1994 which saw millions of Rwandans fleeing into neighbouring countries including Uganda. Since then, many families had settled and multiplied in Uganda while some of their members decided to go back to Rwanda after the genocide had ended. These keep travelling to visit their relatives in either country though the closure of the border had brought such relations to a painful halt. With the reopening, such families are excited to visit their relatives once again and resume their normal relationships.
A positive sign towards normalising political ties
The decision by the government of Rwanda to reopen the Gatuna border with Uganda has brought back hope to the citizens of both countries that political tensions between the two governments are coming to an end. This was the major factor that had led to the closure of the with both governments accusing each other of several political grounds. Rwanda was accusing Uganda of arresting, detaining and torturing its citizens without trail while on the other hand Uganda accused Rwanda of espionage. However, early this year the two governments attempted to bring such tensions to an end with envoys from Uganda government including Lt.Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, a son to President Museveni meeting President Kagame in Kigali. The meetings appeared to have been fruitful when Kigali announced that the Gatuna border would be reopened following the discussions between the leaders.
