Uganda Travel Advice

Languages spoken in Uganda

Uganda is a multilingual country with over forty native languages in three groups - Bantu, Central Sudanic and Nilotic. The official languages of Uganda are English and Swahili. Most literate people in Uganda speak English, being spoken throughout their school year as well as being widely spoken in politics. Around 4 million people, most of which are in the Buganda region, also speak Luganda. Even though Swahili is the country's second official language, more people speak Luganda than Swahili.

Kampala

The capital city of Uganda is Kampala, resting on a set of seven hills on the shores of the largest lake in Africa - Lake Victoria. Standing on the hills provides you with a picture of evergreen countryside interspersed with red-tiled villas with the bustling city down below and the famous Lake Victoria beyond. Kampala is a modern metropolis scattered with pretty gardens and parks on every street - it's no wonder they call it the greenest city in Africa. Visit the Kasubi Tombs, Kibuli Mosque, the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine Namirembe Anglican Cathedral and St. Peter's Roman Catholic Cathedral.

Wifi and internet access in Uganda

Most accommodation (aside from the very basic hotels and guest houses) will offer free wifi, as will some restaurants and cafes. The more rural you travel, the more unreliable the connection will be. Do not count on having an internet connection within the national parks. They may advertise to have wifi, however, the connections don't tend to be good enough for most online tasks. Internet cafes can also be found in most major cities and large towns.

History of Uganda

Henry Stanley discovered Uganda in 1875 when the country was split into kingdoms. In 1877, Anglican missionaries arrived, followed a few years later by the Roman Catholic and Muslim missionaries. Religions were set on converting Ugandans but were met with much hostility, and in 1886 the first bishop in Uganda was murdered.

In 1888 the European powers divided up Africa and gave the British East Africa Company control of Uganda. In 1904, cotton became one of Uganda's largest exports, and by 1920 the country was also growing a substantial amount of tea and coffee. Meanwhile, missionaries were building schools allowing the majority of Ugandans to become literate. In 1929, the first railway line was introduced.

Riots broke out in 1945 and 1949, which led to the first Africans being appointed to the legislative council, their members steadily growing over the next few years. During the end of the 19th century, many Asians migrated to Uganda, creating a boom of traders and shopkeepers.

In 1962, Uganda became independent, and Mutesa, King of Buganda was appointed as their first president with Milton Obote running as prime minister. In 1966 Obote staged a coup to take control, Mutesa fled and Obote became dictator. He ruled until 1971 when Idi Amin staged a coup. Amin was responsible for many horrible acts, torturing and murdering over 100,000 people. Amin then decided that he wanted a piece of the Ugandan Asian's wealth and forced them to sharply leave the country, many of whom left the bulk of their belongings behind. With the shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen being either killed or forced to leave, the economy of Uganda collapsed, and infrastructure deteriorated.

In 1978, Uganda attempted to invade Tanzania but the war quickly turned around and the Tanzanian's invaded Uganda, forcing Amin and his army to flee. He died abroad in 2003.

Obote became prime minister once again, but his opponents formed a guerilla army called the National Resistance Army which soon controlled a significant part of western Uganda. Obote meanwhile tried to become dictator again, imprisoning anyone who opposed him. During this time the National Resistance was growing, and by 1986, they controlled most parts of Uganda, including the capital city. Obote's supporters eventually caved in.

Finally, with political stability, Uganda's economy began to grow, and many of the Asians who were once forced to leave were persuaded to return. Today, Uganda's economy continues to grow steadily. It is predominantly an agricultural country with its main export being coffee.

Go to Top