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Uganda

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Introduction 

Uganda is located in east-central Africa. It is landlocked between Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Tanzania. It is roughly the size of the state of Oregon, just slightly smaller. Uganda has a tropical climate with rainy and dry seasons and a semiarid climate in the northeast. Since Uganda is a fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers, roughly 70% of their land is used for agriculture. Uganda was colonized by Britain and achieved independence in 1962. Since independence, Uganda continues to face many challenges including explosive population growth, corruption, underdeveloped democratic institutions, and human rights deficits.

Fun Fact

In 2014, The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act, also known as “The Kill the Gays Act” was passed by parliament. This substituted the previous death penalty with life in prison. Museveni signed the bill into law however the Connotational Court of Uganda ruled the Act invalid on procedural grounds. This act would have broadened the criminalization of same-sex relations in Uganda. Same-sex relationships have been illegal in Uganda since the British colonial rule. The Ugandan people see homosexuality as a threat to the cohesion of African families.

Study Questions

  1. How have Uganda's past political leaders left an impact on their current political, economic, and governmental situation?
  2. Where do we see effects from early European rule left on Ugandan government structure? In other words, what similarities and differences do we see between the European and Ugandan political systems?