Uganda

The beautiful country of Uganda is located in easternl Africa, situated north and northwest of Lake Victoria. It is a country with many neighbors, Sudan on the North, Kenya on the East, Tanzania on the South, Rwanda on the Southwest and Zaire on the Northwest.

The history of Uganda´s government and people is a troubling story of war, dissension and unrest. The British government held control of Uganda since 1894 under a protectorate, and their rule lasted until 1962 when Uganda adopted a federal constitution and independence was granted. The Uganda People´s Congress won the election of that year with Milton Obote as their prime minister.

Before British rule, Uganda was ruled by different kingdoms and their different religious affiliations. They fought between themselves and their dissensions continued after Uganda´s independence from Britain. In 1966 Obote sent an army into Buganda and drove out their king, known as the Kabaka, into exile. Obote then proclaimed a new republican constitution, which formally abolished the kingships of the country, and became Uganda´s first president of a unitary government. Buganda´s resistance to obey Obote, a sharp decrease in the economy, and charges of corruption led to a rise of an army coup in January 1971. Idi Amin, a firm army commander, seized power with his army and began eight years of misrule. By 1978 Uganda was bankrupt. The government was heavily dependent on massive loans from Arab states friendly to Amin. In late 1978 Uganda went to war with the neighboring country of Tanzania. The Tanzanian forces along with Ugandan rebels drove Amin from the country. Three provisional presidents served before a new constitution was drawn up in December 1980 and an election was held. Obote returned the country and won the election, but he faced a changed and struggling Uganda. In 1982, after Tanzanian forces withdrew from the country, antigovernment guerillas became active, and thousands of young men were arrested, suspected of being guerrillas. Thereafter, more than 100,000 Ugandans were killed or starved to death under Obote´s presidency.

Obote and his government officials were again overthrown in July 1985, but this time by a coup known as the National Resistance Army. The National Resistance Army was led by Yoweri Museveni. Since his rise to power, the country of Uganda has prospered. The economy is rising to a better standing, foreign investments are increasing and many Asian Ugandans, who were exiled during Amin´s reign, have returned to open business. However, the right for political expression has been hindered. In 1995 a new constitution was enacted and a Constituent Assembly was formed with many seats given to supports of Museveni.

Since the 1980s AIDS has taken many lives of Ugandans. By 1990 it has taken on epidemic proportions. In 1993 Uganda had 43,875 reported cases of AIDS and an estimated 10 percent of the population infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

More Uganda links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html