10 facts about Uganda you should know
Uganda is a landlocked country located in East Africa, the country shares a border to the west with Kenya, to the east with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to the south with Tanzania and Rwanda.
Uganda has a population of about 42 million people and a GDP of around $30 billion, here are 10 other facts you should know about Uganda.
1 the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has been in power since 1986 when his forces toppled the previous regime. Museveni came to power as a dictator, restricting political activities in a measure he said was designed to reduce sectarian violence. A constitutional referendum canceled this nineteen-year ban on multi-party politics in July 2005.
2. In 2005, parliament abolished the presidential term limit, allegedly because Museveni used public funds to pay US$2,000 to each member of parliament who supported the measure.
3. Between 2006 and 2016, Museveni ran in three presidential elections against his main challenger, Kizza Besigye. Besigye used to be Museveni’s personal physician!
4. Transparency International has rated Uganda’s public sector as one of the most corrupt in the world. In 2016, Uganda ranked 151st worst out of 176 and had a score of 25 on a scale from 0 (perceived as most corrupt) to 100 (perceived as clean).
READ: The 10 Oldest Universities in Africa
Remember Idi Amin?
5. He used to be Uganda’s president when he ruled the country for eight years between 1971 and 1979. An estimated 80,000–500,000 Ugandans lost their lives during his regime, and he gave himself the title His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.
6. In Uganda due to high levels of malnutrition and starvation, If someone says “you’ve grown fat”, it’s a compliment.
7. Every society has its idiosyncrasies. Try not to get offended when you’re invited to someone’s home for fried grasshoppers; It’s a sign of endearment because this cuisine is a delicacy in Uganda.
8. Just like in most parts of Africa, the electricity can go out at any time for 4 to 24 hours. they call it load-shedding.
9. Cover your legs to avoid trouble, if you’re a tourist, you may get away with a warning, but it’s customary for men to wear trousers. Even in the heat, they wear them because shorts are only for the immature.
Additionally, you won’t see women wearing shorts or short skirts. They cover as much of their legs as possible to avoid being mistaken for a prostitute.
10. Baganda women and girls kneel when greeting.
like most people I know very little about Uganda, save for it is a small African country ruled by a long-term dictator, until the recent arrest of two Nigerian artists.
