Uganda 2003

Uganda Border Map

In 2003, Uganda was located in East Africa. It had a population of around 27 million people and its economy was largely driven by agriculture, industry, services and tourism. The country maintained a democratic government with a strong emphasis on education and health care. According to computergees, Uganda maintained strong diplomatic ties with other African nations such as Tanzania and Kenya while it also had close relations with the European Union. In 2003, tourism to the country was beginning to grow as visitors were drawn to its vibrant cities, unique culture, and diverse landscape. The country offered numerous attractions such as Murchison Falls National Park which showcased the unique history of the region, Kibale National Park which provided opportunities for wildlife viewing, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which offered stunning views of natural beauty, and Ssese Islands which protected native plants and animals. Additionally, there were many opportunities for outdoor activities such as exploring Kampala or visiting Lake Bunyonyi which is home to vibrant street art scenes.

Yearbook 2003

Uganda. Following discussions between church leaders and the rebel movement The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the northern parts of Uganda, the LRA announced unilateral ceasefire in some districts in March. According to Countryaah.com, Uganda Independence Day is October 9. The government responded by canceling all efforts on the part of the army to enable mediator contacts with the LRA. After a few weeks, however, the army was ordered to go on a new offensive against the rebels, with the motivation that the LRA only used the ceasefire to continue the violence in other areas.

In May, the last Ugandan soldiers, a thousand men, were taken home from Congo (Kinshasa), where they were sent in 1998 to protect the country’s western border against rebels but also to fight the Congolese government.

The soldiers did not become idle on returning home. During the summer and autumn, the LRA stepped up its violence in the north and carried out a long line of massacres on civilians. The Christian fundamentalist LRA says it wants to create a society based on the Ten Commandments of the Bible, but in practice the rebels devote themselves entirely to looting, murder, and the abduction of children, used as soldiers and sex slaves.

During the autumn, a UN envoy described the situation in northern Uganda as the worst humanitarian point in the world. About 1.3 million people were reported to be displaced from their homes due to the LRA’s ravages. In November, 34 parliamentarians from the north announced that they would boycott parliamentary work until the government put a stop to the rebels’ progress.

At the request of several opposition politicians, the Constitutional Court in March declared that the 2002 law that made Uganda a one-party state violates the constitution. Shortly thereafter, on the proposal of President Yoweri Museveni, the ruling “Movement” executive committee recommended a return to multi-party systems. However, it must be approved in a referendum, which is scheduled to take place in 2004.

In August, Idi Amin, notorious dictator 1971–79 died. He died at the age of 78 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he lived in exile for many years. About 400,000 people are estimated to have been murdered under his terror.

In November, Parliament passed a new NGO law that could result in fines or penalties for NGOs engaged in activities “which are contrary to the interests of Uganda or the dignity of the Ugandan people”. The law violated international human rights standards by restricting both freedom of association and freedom of expression. Throughout 2015, the intelligence or security forces broke into the offices of a number of human rights organizations. In June, the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda involved several computers and documents stolen. In July, it was the Uganda Land Alliance. A security guard was killed during this attack.

The presidential and parliamentary elections in February 2016 were won by Museveni. After 30 years in the presidential post, Museveni secured a new 5-year term with 60.6% of the vote against 35.6% for Kizza Bisigye. Museveni was selected already in the 1st round. His NRM party also got 296 out of Parliament’s 426 seats. An increase of 30. The election was marked by widespread violence, harassment by opposition candidates and scams. Alone in the election month, Museveni’s main counterpart Bisigye was arrested 4 times for eventually being placed under house arrest. While election observers from the Commonwealth and Kenya reported widespread electoral fraud, the EU and the US were generally positive in their characteristics of the election. Both unions provide vital economic and military assistance to the dictatorship.

New NGO legislation came into force in March. It was vaguely worded and gave the authorities broad frameworks to close NGOs they did not care about.

Also in March, an ICC preliminary investigation confirmed that LRA commander Dominic Ongwen would be put on trial for over 70 indictments, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. In August, another case against LRA Colonel Thomas Kwoyelo was opened at Kampala High Court.

In late November 2016, the King of Rwenzururu, Charles Wesley Mumere’s guards, attacked several police stations in the region, killing at least 14 policemen. Two days later, at least 100 were killed and 139 arrested in clashes between the security services and the king’s guard in the western city of Kasese. The king was subsequently arrested and taken to Kampala, where he is charged with murder.

In addition to providing Uganda with hundreds of fundamentalist Christian missionaries, in 2016 the United States provided $ 70 million. US $ in support of the country’s military and $ 440 million US $ for health care.

Uganda Border Map

Republic of Uganda Brief Guide

According to AbbreviationFinder, Uganda is a landlocked country in eastern Central Africa. Its neighbors are Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.

Food & beverage
Drinking tap water is not recommended. All water and beverages must be industrially bottled. Salads and vegetables should also be rinsed with bottled water. Heated or tablet-purified water can be drunk.
Ugandan food culture has been influenced by English, Arabic and Indian cuisine. Traditional, local staples include vegetables, potatoes, bananas, cassava and tropical fruits. Ugandan’s staple food is posho, which is made from ground corn and resembles thick porridge. Posho is served with sauce, meat and vegetables.

Climate
Located in the equatorial region, Uganda has a warm and tropical climate all year round. In the higher areas, night temperatures drop to around 10 degrees at their lowest. The rainy season in southern Uganda usually runs from about March to May. Trekking trips in the parks of the south are not impossible even then, but gorilla trips at drier times are preferable. In Uganda, the driest weather conditions are roughly from mid-May to mid-October and from December to February. The short rains date back to the end of the year, roughly October-November. Wet ground may make hiking in the jungle more challenging, but for rainforest areas, it is important to note that rainfall occurs throughout the year. The time of short rains is usually a rewarding time of birdwatching,

Travel
seasons The time of the dry season in the summer months of Finland, the holiday season in Central and Southern Europe, and the time of Christmas and New Year are the highest travel seasons. Climate seasons during February and September are slightly quieter in terms of tourism, and services are usually cheaper than during the high season.

Safety
General precautions should be taken throughout the journey, as movement in certain areas may be unsafe. Please ask your tour guide and local guide for current information. For more information on traveling in the country, see the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ travel bulletin.