AboutFrank Expertise My knowledge is mainly of the capital city, Kampala, and surrounding area. I will be glad to share about transportation, society, government, living conditions, education, media, etc.
Experience Experience in the area: I spent a month in Uganda, consulting at a major university and visiting government, media, and civic entities. My consultancies have taken me to many third world countries, equipping me for comparative observations about Uganda and other emerging societies. Many articles on economic development, media and society, emerging societies -- published in various countries, several languages. Credentials: Retired professor of international mass media.
Expert: Frank Date: 9/18/2001 Subject: Dangers in Uganda
Question Dear Frank,
I'll be leaving for Uganda on May 15th with a gap year company 'Africa Venture' to teach in a local school. http://www.aventure.co.uk A couple of my friends have recently returned from Kenya and Nigeria and have informed me that violence, kidnapping and conflict is not rare, particularly in Uganda.
Please would you tell me about the dangers currently in Uganda, and how East Africa may react or involve themselves regarding the recent problems in the US.
Thank you very much for your time!
Tom Grundy, 18, West Midlands - England.
Answer September 18, 2001
Dear Tom,
As the website indicates, I'm not really an "expert" on Uganda, but after having spent a month there and finding no source on this site that could help me, I signed on to provide what assistance I could. And for your purpose, maybe I can be of some help.
My stay in Uganda was only in Kampala, Entebbe, and Jinja, all in south Uganda, all on or near the north shore of Lake Victoria. I was on a program for the American Embassy, and so I leaned heavily on their advice. However, I roomed with an American scholar who had spent six years in the country as a research professor, so through the Embassy and my roommate, I got a pretty good picture of the situation.
Do not arrive there at night. Stopover is likely in Nairobi, and it's not a good airport to be in at night. And Uganda's airport is at Entebbe, which is south of Kampala about 30-60 minutes depending on traffic, and it's not a road you want to be on in the dark, even with a trusted driver.
I can only hope your destination school is not in the "bush." If it's in the capital you can be reasonably confident; but security goes downhill from there, even in other cities, and to rock bottom in the bush. Even in Kampala, going out at night is not advisable, nor is it safe to go into certain parts of town, where so-called "street kids" control the streets and are ignored by authorities.
On the other hand, with local advice as to the safer parts of town, and careful discretion. you can get by pretty well in Kampala. My outings to Entebbe and Jinja were in company of a group of trusted locals.
Along the Kenya border to the north and the Congo border to the west, local "lords" rule with total lawlessness. Kidnappings and murder, also enslavement of children, are common. Embassy warnings are "stay far away." I did.
Travel within Kampala is mostly by vans that serve as bus-taxis, operating on a set route, and everyone just crams in. They're called matatus, and on major routes they're safe so long as you guard against pick-pockets. And they're cheap. Regular taxis are also quite reasonable, and generally safe. Speaking of pick-pockets, they're everywhere, as are muggers in some areas. Dress down, and avoid looking like a target. Don't carry much cash, and don't keep it in a single place. If accosted, be willing to give up a cheap billfold with a few pounds in it, and consider it a cheap experience.
Sanitation is pretty bad, stinky storks everywhere eating the garbage along the streets. If you've not had experience in a third-world country, brush up on the cautions:
1) Don't drink the water. That means no ice. For liquids, stick to dependably bottled water (best is Coca Cola bottler), beer, or major brand soft drinks. Get those in original containers, not a less-than-clean glass. Don't use straws that are already unwrapped; they're recycled. Even with bottled water, make sure the cap-seal is unbroken and the bottom of a plastic bottle has not been plugged with wax (meaning it could have been refilled from a tap). Local beer is quite good; Kenyan "Amarulla" (similar to Irish Cream) is excellent. Don't get coffee or tea in public -- it's normally only lukewarm, probably made with tap water that hasn't been heated enough to be safe. Coffee is almost always instant. Take your supply of coffee/tea if you like, and if you'll have access to heating safe water for it.
2) No fruits or vegetables that haven't been peeled or cooked under conditions you have reason to trust. That means no lettuce at all, no lettuce or tomato on burgers, no green salads. Fruit juices can be good, if you get them where you have reason to believe they're prepared in sanitary conditions.
3) Wash hands often, especially before eating. If impossible, don't touch food, or with hand-held food, hold it at one place only, eat off the other side, leave the part you handled.
4) Carry lots of Pepto-Bismol tablets (they coat!) and chew a couple after (or even before) eating anything at all questionable, or at the first sign of a rolling tummy.
Well, Tom, what I've told you may be of little use if you're headed out beyond the capital of Kampala; and it may be rather discouraging. But parts of the area can be quite attractive; Uganda was once the "pearl of Africa," a prime destination for vacationing Brits when it was a colony. And I must say I found my stay quite an education, albeit a bit of a nervous one.
As for current attitudes on the terrorist attacks, I can't say other than impressions. Official government attitudes toward the US are pretty favorable, and the educated around the universities look to the UK and the US alike as role models. So my guess is that the locals would be pretty critical of the terrorists and pretty sympathetic to the Americans.
Write again, directly to <midnamego@aol.com> if you wish, if there's any further questions.
