Situation of Uganda

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION
Capital: Kampala
Surface: 236.040 km2 including 44.000 km2 of lakes and rivers.
Landlocked country to more 1000 km of the sea.
Borders: North: Sudan, West: Democratic republic of Congo, South-west: Rwanda, South-east: Tanzania, East: Kenya.
Country crossed by the equator.


POLITICAL SYSTEM:
Government: Republic
President: Yoweri Museveni (since 1986)
Party: National Resistance Movement (NRM)


POPULATION:
Population: 23.300.000 inhabitants
Religions: Catholics (45%), Anglicans (39%), Muslims (10%) and various (6%)
Languages: more than 30 languages. Principal: English (official), Luganda, languages of Niger-Congo, Swahili…
Principal ethnic groups: Baganda (20%), Karamojong (17%), Iteso (10%), Basogo (10%), Langi (6%), Rwanda (6%), Bagisu (5%), Acholi (4%), Lugbara (4%)
Demographic growth (2000): 2,9%
Population of less than 15 years (2000): 49%
Urban population (2000): 20,7%
Index of fecondity (1995-2000): 7,1

SOCIAL INDICATORS :
Indicator of human development 2002 (UNDP): the 23rd poorest country of the world.
Row: 150 on 173 classified countries.
Life expectancy at birth (2000): 44 years
Population below the poverty line (1987-2000): 55%
Population suffering from malnutrition (1997-99): 28%
Infant mortality rate for 1000 alive births (2000): 81
Ponderal insufficiency of less than 5 years (2000): 26%
Population without acces to a point of water (2000): 50%
Population having access to essential vaccines (1999): 50-79%
Adult index of analphabetism (2000): 32,9%


ECONOMY:
Currency: Ugandan shilling
GDP per capita: 1167 US $
Total foreign debt (2000): 4.077 million dollars
GNP per capita: 1,208 USS
Public expenditure in education (% PNB)1995-97: 2,6%
Public expenditure in health (% GNP) 1998: 1,9
GDP:
Agriculture: 57% GDP
Services: 32% GDP
Industry: 11% GDP
Working population devoted to:
Agriculture: 80%:
Sector services: 15%
Industry: 5%:
Principal agricultural productions: plantain, manioc, sweet potatoes, cane with sugar, corn, millet, sorghum, coffee, tea, tobacco.

DATES
October 9, 1962: Independence of Uganda from the United Kingdom
1962-1971: First government of Milton Obote
1971: Putchof the General Idi Amin Dada, Chief of the Army
1979-1980: Provisional government
December 1980: Second government of Milton Obote
February 1981: Civil war
1985: End of the Obote government
January 25, 1986: Museveni seizes the power

Before the First World War, Winston Churchill called Uganda the “pearl of Africa”, but the years which followed the independance were remembered by a true blood bath.

October 9, 1962: INDEPENDENCE OF UGANDA
At the moment of independence, Uganda inherited an important infrastructure which the United Kingdom had developed during years of colonization: an important industry, a university, and hospitals…But the country presented a melting-pot of tribes, religions and political divisions which were going to be a challenge to manage harmoniously and effectively.

1962-1971: FIRST GOVERNMENT OF MILTON OBOTE
Milton Obote tried during its years of government to set up the bases of the new country.

1971-1979: DICTATORSHIP OF GENERAL IDI AMIN DADA
In 1971, the General Idi Amin Dada, Chief of the Army, organized a putch which put an end to the government of Milton Obote. The eight years of its government were remembered by terror, repression and the collapse of the economy of the country. It is estimated that the government was responsible for murdering more than 300.000 opponents to the government. All freedom and liberties were removed. The government implemented a massive expulsion of the 80.000 Indians living in Uganda, and this marked the beginning of the economic collapse of the country. Their return was not be authorized until 1986 by the government of Museveni.
In 1978, Amin decided to invade Tanzania, which became his downfall.. In fact, the President of Tanzania Nyerere reacted violently and pushed back the Ugandan army until Kampala, reversing the dictatorship of Amin in 1979.

1979-1980: PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
A provisional government was set up with the support of the Tanzanian public but this did not improve the situation significantly, as this government was characterized by its inconsistency and its divisions.

1980-1985: SECOND GOVERNMENT OF MILTON OBOTE
Obote was a long time friend of Tanzanian President Nyerere. Obote persuaded Nyerere to help him return to power, and in April 1980, Obote returned to Uganda. In December 1980, he organized elections which were severely “rigged” (falsified) The government of Obote was also characterized by violence. It is estimated that the government was responsible for almost 100.000 political murderings. Thus, after all these years of dictatorship, the country exploded in a civil war on February 6, 1981.

Two guerilla organizations actively competed to reverse the power: Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM), led by Andrew Kayiira and the National Resistance Army (NRA), led by Yoweri Museveni. Museveni was a young left-wing idealist, of Banyankole heritage, and his organisation grew stronger and stronger until he fled the dictatorship of Amin to take refuge in Tanzania. During the provisional government he had been Minister for Defence, but as opposed the return of Obote, he had joined the NRA. . The armed struggle lasted five years: from February 1981 to February 1986.

The government of Milton Obote collapsed 1985 and a military Commission exerted power from July 1985 to January 1986, before being finally overcome by the NRA.

SINCE 1986: GOVERNMENT OF MUSEVENI
When Yoweri Museveni seized power by force 1986, Uganda was a completely destroyed country. The reign of terror of Idi Amin Dada and the not less bloody reign of Milton Obote had thrust the country into a catastrophic situation.

The national product per capita had fallen more than 6% on average between 1973 and 1980, and 2,4% on average between 1980 and 1987. The industrial production had dropped more than 12% per annum between 1973 and 1980. Annual inflation increased on average 95% between 1980 and 1987. The basic commodities were only available in the black market. The foreign debt under Obote’s reign had doubled since 1980, reaching 1,5 billion USD in 1986. The infrastructure was completely ruined.

To improve this situation, Museveni liberalised the market in order to kick-start the economy. In 1987 he concluded an agreement with the international financial institutions (the IMF and the World Bank) allowing the arrival of external aid and a first renegotiation of the debt. In one decade he thus succeeded in turning the economy around actually and making substantial growth. In fact, from 1987 to 1992, the growth reached 5% per annum on average.

In addition, the government of Museveni founded an original system of “democracy without parties” which authorized free elections and contributed to the pacification of the interior political scene. Museveni also imposed the philosophy of personal freedom and freedom of expression and association, enabling the media to enjoy great publication freedom. In 1994, the first FM radio station was launched. In addition, Museveni allowed the return of all the Asian Ugandan expelled by Amin Dada.

Finally, the government carried out an exemplary fight against AIDS. Indeed, from the very start of the epidemic, the government launched an extremely effective prevention campaign and the number of HIV positives fell by half in 5 years.

Ultimately, in a few years, President Museveni succeeded in getting the country out if it’s catastrophic situation. But even with all of the positive improvements, the government still faces many difficulties and challenges, not the least of which, is poverty..

In spite of the efforts of the Museveni government, Uganda remains a poor country - classified in 2002 by the UNDP as the 23rd poorest country in the world.

63,3% of the population cannot earn and spend more than 25 dollars per month.
The probability of not reaching 40 years was 48,4% between 1995 and 2000.
The life expectancy in 2002 is 44 years.
55% of the population lived below the poverty line between 1987 and 2000.

With regard to the economic growth of the country, this is decreasing (4,4% growth in 2000 against 7% on average previous years), the balance of payments is overdrawn and the economy is very vulnerable to the fluctuations of the international climate.

Uganda remains slightly industrialized country its production is centred on the transformation of imported semi-finihsed products (building materials, bicycles, beer).
Moreover, the country has regional imbalances: the demographic and economic centre is located in the basin of Lake Victoria and the areas of North and peripherals are even poorer

In the North of Uganda, close of the border with Sudan, a group of rebels prevails: Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which fights against the central government of Museveni. The movement became rather strong during years 1990 thanks to the assistance provided by the Sudanese government.

The LRA is known to frequent removal children from their families and force them into their ranks. The children are removed at a very young age (on average between six and eleven years old) usually by raids operated against their school or their village. They are then taken to Sudan where they follow a military formation. It is calculated that 14.000 children have been removed by the LRA since the beginning of 1990.

In 1999, a law granting amnesty to the rebels who returned weapons was voted. The Ugandan and Sudanese presidents then signed a historical agreement in Nairobi in which they commit to cease any assistance with rebels (SPLA, LRA). But in reality, nothing has actually changed: the attacks and removals continue.

At the beginning of the nineties, Uganda was one of Africa countries more contaminated by AIDS. This pushed Museveni to declare that AIDS was an economic and social catastrophe.

Thanks to the determination of the government and its speed of reaction, the rate of infection of AIDS in the cities dropped significantly In 1992, 16% of all the adults were HIV positive, in 1996, the rate dropped to 8%. This was due to many campaigns, including the introduction in the school of many activities to sensitize the teenagers to AIDS and of media messages addressed to young people. All the experts of the NU proclaim that Uganda should be taken as the model in the fight against AIDS by other African countries.

However, the devastations of AIDS is still present, and the fight must continue. Indeed, because of this epidemic the life expectancy has reduced 5 years during 30 last years: it was 46 years in 1970, it is now down to 41 years at the end of the 1990s..

The figures show that the incidence of AIDS is still very important (Report of Human Development of the UNDP 2002).
The population living with the AIDS is of:

Adults 15-46 years (%) 2001: 5%
Women: 280.000
Children: 110.000
Children having lost a relative or both since the Nineties: 1.700.000

Moreover, between 1995 and 2000 only 15% of the population used means of contraception.

The government must thus persevere in its effort of fight against the epidemic

The system of “democracy without parties” was very effective at the beginning of the government in that it did pacify the political scene. Indeed, the Movement of National Resistance of Museveni arised in 1986 like a government of national union gathering all the democratic forces. The transitional period was to last four years, during which the political competition was suspended by mutual agreement between the political parties. But in 1990, Museveni declared that the country was not ready for elections and that additional time was necessary to write a new Constitution. During this time, Museveni drew aside the various parties of the government. In this “system of Mouvement”, the political parties are authorized but the activities which are normally dependent are prohibited. For example, they cannot be presented at the elections.

Thus, the population is starting to demand a real democracy which authorizes the participation of the various political parties in the next elections of 2006.

An approximate number of street-children in 2000 (children in the street and children of the street) (figures of the Ministry for the Ugandan Public health)

Uganda: 8000
Kampala: 4000 including 1500 children of the street
Mbale: 800
Jinja: 500

The number of street-children has increased the last years. For example in Kampala, in 1996, 273 children lived then in the streets and in 2000, they were 1500.

Amongst all the problems that street-children must face daily, in Uganda, AIDS and insecurity are particularly threatening.

AIDS:

AIDS affects these children in three manners:

Children become orphan by losing their parents to the disease:
Since the beginning of the 1990s nearly 1.700.000 children have lost a relative or both from AIDS. They are thus often forced to go in the streets to survive.

Children born HIV positive:
Given the very high rate of the AIDS in Uganda, a great number of children were born HIV positive. They develop the disease very quickly since as children, and particularly under such unhealthy conditions, the infection of the virus progresses quickly towards the disease.

Children catching the AIDS in the street:
Given their lack of information and early prostitution, street-children catch AIDS very easily. As they don’t have access to any treatment, they die in a few years of the disease. According to the UNDP, 110.000 children developed the disease in 2001.

INSECURITY:

Street-children are the first victims of kidnappings of the group of rebels Lord Resistance Army (LRA), since nobody is concerned about their disappearance. The LRA enrols them by force in its ranks and obliges them to follow a military formation. These “children-soldiers” are required to attend or take part in acts of a extreme violence in order to prevent them fleeing.

14.000 children are estimated to have been kidnapped by the LRA since 1990s.