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Packing up to permanently leave Uganda? You may want to read this.

Don’t panic – the Muzungu has no plans to leave Uganda! – but the reality of expat life is that many people move on after a few years’ living in the Pearl of Africa.

In this week’s guest post, Flavia and Mark share some insights with Diary of a Muzungu readers:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave Uganda permanently, after having lived in the country for a long, or maybe, a short time?

Or are you planning ahead of your uproot from your home country to Uganda? If so, this read was curated for you too. In a few paragraphs – and presumably delicate scrolls – you will get up to speed with the legal and financial aspects involved in leaving Uganda permanently.

In a similar situation as yours, many expats leave Uganda to look for a new adventure, employment in a foreign country, or to simply return to their country of origin. However, many people wonder “What does it take to start the process of leaving the country indefinitely?”

‘Do I just pack my bags and head for the airport? Or are there procedures to be followed?’

Permanently leaving Uganda, whether you’re an expat, employee, or businessperson, must be easy, wouldn’t you think? Here are some insights on a few things you may need to work through before packing up.

If you stick around long enough, you will learn a lot; how to deal with your departure process when it comes to work or business engagements, tax implications and even, how to handle your landlord or effectively dispose of property.

Planning on how to leave your current employer on good terms

All contracts of employment in Uganda are governed by the country’s Employment laws.

So, what exactly does this mean?

If you are an independent contractor, you will be required to complete any pending engagements to the satisfaction of your clients before leaving the country.

However if you are engaged under an employment contract, you will be required to formally end your employment before your departure. This can be triggered through resignation with prior notice. There are no fast and hard rules about resigning but it’s important to do it professionally and graciously. At this point, you might ask:

‘What happens to the money I have saved up with the National Social Security Fund(“NSSF”)?’

As a member of NSSF, your employer is required to remit 15% of your monthly income as savings. The 15% is a shared responsibility between you and your employer, where 5% is deducted from your monthly salary while your employer remits 10% of your gross monthly salary to NSSF. Once you decide to permanently leave Uganda, you are entitled to the payment of your remitted savings for at least four financial years. The claim for your savings is made online on the NSSF portal, or your nearest NSSF office. To support your claim, the following documents are necessary:

  • Current passport size photo.
  • Copy of your passport with a valid work permit.
  • Proof of your bank details. The bank account must be held in the country you are heading to.
  • Resignation letter, termination letter, or any document showing severance of the prior employment relationship in Uganda.
  • Evidence of permanent residence status or citizenship in the Country you are moving to.
  • Evidence of exit from Uganda e.g. exit stamp from Uganda and/or entry stamp to destination country.
  • Notarized Passport and/or permanent residence card (if claiming online).

Expats running businesses

“Alright, but I run a business in Uganda, and before I leave I would like to  dissolve my partnership, transfer stakes, or dissolve my company?” This shouldn’t be strenuous, right?

Getting out of a partnership

For starters, a partnership venture may not take so much time to dissolve since you may have a partnership deed that indicates the terms of dissolution. However, in case you have no such clause in the deed, the partnership can be dissolved by an agreement between you and your partner(s). 

Leaving a company as a shareholder

Upon reaching the decision to leave Uganda permanently, and you desire to sell your shareholding, in order to have a smooth process you should consider doing the following;

  • Engaging with other shareholders in order to reach a consensus on any outstanding obligations and also to set up a road map for your exit from the company.
  • Conducting a financial audit.
  • Valuing your shareholding to arrive at a fair market value at which you can sell your  shares.

At this point, a common question comes to mind:
“What if I fail to find buyers for my shareholding?”

An alternative to selling your stake would be to dissolve the company altogether. However, we hate to say this but, the process of shareholders dissolving a company, is slightly longer than that of transferring shares or that of dissolving a partnership.

Engaging the Taxman

When you are no longer generating income in Uganda owing to your pending departure, you may consider applying to the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to deregister your Tax Identification Number (TIN).

Dealing with a Landlord

Just like any other relationship, landlord – tenant relationships are different for everyone. However, the relationship between the two is usually governed by the Tenancy Agreement. Termination of this contract, to some, may mean the beginning of exit obligations, for example, restoring the premises.

Disposal of assets

When most of the processes are over and you are drawing closer to the departure day, if you still possess property, you are at liberty to dispose of them before leaving Uganda.

Now let’s talk about safety for you and your loved ones

COVID-19

At the time of writing, it is mandatory to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of your departure from Uganda. Tests can be done from any accredited laboratory. Before you travel read Latest COVID-19 health measures at Entebbe International Airport, which is updated regularly.

Travelling with Pets

If you plan on travelling with your pet, or “fur buddy,” here is a roundup of what you may need to do to avoid inconveniences.

The first thing to do is contact the airline you are planning to fly with for full information.

Depending on the country you are travelling to, you may need a microchip for the pet, rabies vaccination, and a health certificate. Additional blood tests may also be required.

Finally you will need to register your pet with the airline, make payment and ensure that they are placed in a cage or kennel for the duration of the flight.

Lastly, the process of leaving Uganda can be quite unsettling especially if you are a business owner or have spent a considerable amount of time in the country.

However, with an exit process plan, coupled with professional advice, you can be able to seamlessly overcome the numerous obstacles that may lie ahead, and be packing within no time.

The guest writers are Kampala-based multi-disciplinary lawyers who specialise in relocation services for expats. In case of any questions or need for clarifications regarding this guest post, please reach the writers directly on the following contacts:

Flavia Asiimwe, LLB (Hons) University of Kent (UK)
Tel: +256 773360315 Email: fasiimwe@origolaw.ug

Mark Kizza, CTA (ICPAU), LLB (Hons) Makerere University
Tel: +256773091830 Email: mkizza@origolaw.ug

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.

Miss Tourism Uganda leads clean-up of Fort Portal

Miss Tourism Uganda to lead 3-day clean-up of Fort Portal 29th October 2021. Environment conservation is a top priority for the reigning Miss Tourism of Uganda as she makes her maiden visit to Tooro land

In this week’s Guest Post, Isaiah Mwesige of AFRIYEA (African Young Environment Activists) invites us to join 3 days of environmental activities in Fort Portal. I’ve been following Isaiah’s work for a little while. His passion and commitment are infectious – let’s do what we can to help suport his excellent environmental campaigns!

Isaiah writes:

The world is faced with adverse effects of global warming and climate change which define a crisis of our time. This is happening more quickly than we feared which has affected most major sectors of the economy not sparing the tourism industry as well. However, we are far from powerless in the face of this global threat. As António Guterre, United Nations Secretary-General pointed out in 2019, “the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win.”

For Miss Tourism Uganda, majority of her efforts are being put into environmental conservation through activities such as tree planting, plastic collection, proper disposal of waste and awareness campaigns. These are among the key highlights on her agenda for her maiden visit to Fort Portal under the theme “An eco-friendly environment for sustainable tourism and economic growth,” organized by Fort Portal Tourism City Council in collaboration with AFRIYEA, scheduled for 29th October 2021.

Fort Portal has a mostly tropical climate characterized by stable rainfall patterns. However, the effects of climate change have turned the seasons around with the area experiencing shorter or longer rains and harsher dry seasons.

Since the elevation of Fort Portal municipality to a tourism city, different stakeholders have joined efforts to protect and conserve the environment

As we all know, the Rwenzori region in which Fort Portal lies is a hub for most of the tourism sites in Uganda and it is upon this basis that key regionl role players have collectively worked to create sustainable environments which will bring in more investment opportunities through tourism and other sectors.

As everyone gets ready for the homecoming of Queen Suzan Adyeeri, the Uganda Miss Tourism 2021, notable leaders are pledging full support towards the success of this event. These include: the City Mayor, the Resident City Commissioner, the Security Forces and their respective offices. Through good terms and coordination, AFRIYEA has been able to organize Miss Tourism Uganda’s homecoming event. This will be followed by 2 days of environmental conservation thus making it a 3 days event of thorough cleaning of Fort Portal City, tree planting, and proper waste management especially along the banks of River Mpanga.

The prestigious visit of Miss Uganda to Fort Portal is aimed at conserving the environment whilst boosting the tourism potential in Tooro.

Fort Portal city has embarked on her journey of being the cleanest city in Uganda. The campaign is fronted by His Worship Asaba Edson Ruyonga, the Mayor of Fort Portal City. His team are working with stakeholders that include learning institutions (Mountains of the Moon University, FINS Medical University), religious institutions, private companies (Kalya Courts Hotel, Nyaika Hotel, AADI Enterprises), civil society organizations (KRC, RFPJ), non-governmental organizations (JESE, IDP, AFRIYEA, Protos, Enabel) and several other partners both new and old. All of these shall be taking part in the prestigious visit of Miss Uganda to Toro region and you are welcome to join us!

Are you in Fort Portal on 29th October?

We welcome volunteers from all walks of life to plant trees, make a donation, promote the event or help clean the streets and River Mpanga.

Out of my element: climbing Mount Elgon

Do you love a physical challenge? In this week’s Guest Post, Jean Byamugisha, CEO of the ‎Uganda Hotel Owners Association swaps her self-confessed boujee lifestyle for walking boots and a tent!

Sleeping in a tent up a mountain – for several days in a row – is not for the faint-hearted, especially when it is your first time camping! Add a rainstorm, heavy walking boots, difficult terrain (and no hot showers for two days) and you start to get a picture of how demanding a hike can be. Jean shares a personal account of the demanding climb of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, a hiking adventure that led her on a journey of many personal firsts. Congratulations on this huge endeavour Jean – and thanks for sharing your story!

Going beyond my comfort zone

On Good Friday 2021, Adolfo and I set off on what I deemed to be the craziest holiday I’ve ever taken – conquering the mighty Mount Elgon. I say it was crazy because it was so out of my element. My idea of a holiday is – and has always been – a 5 star hotel, with a 7×7 wide bed and 500 thread count Egyptian cotton bed sheets. A swimming pool and spa don’t hurt either. For all intents and purposes, I am a girl that loves a ‘boujee’ holiday.

Adolfo organised our hiking trip after I lost a bet. He wanted to get me out of my comfort zone and also take a ‘bite’ of his world. As an experienced mountain climber, who has even scaled – what looks impossible to me – Mount Rwenzori and all the Virunga volcanoes, he was very much looking forward to climbing Mount Elgon. For me, on the other hand, it was a different story.

Climbing with experienced climbers has both its advantages and disadvantages: my biggest fear was not being in shape and holding back the team so my first order of business was getting in shape. For the most part, I do some simple exercises and eat clean but to climb Mount Elgon, I had to up the ante; I had to go to the gym. I took on a personal trainer and worked out six days a week, from 5.30 – 8.30 am in preparation for our trip.

We arrived in eastern Uganda late and spent the eve of our hike at the Uganda Wildlife Authority banda accommodation in Kapchorwa on the edge of Mount Elgon National Park. Adolfo – or “Alfie” as I like to call him – had estimated that we could climb Mount Elgon in three days, spending two nights in the bush. However, after discussing the route options with the UWA guides, we were advised to spend an extra night at the top as the distance would be too tough for an inexperienced climber like myself. This, we agreed to. After making all the payments with UWA, we entered Mount Elgon National Park via Kapkwata Gate setting off a bit late (10 am). Our team of seven climbers were me (Jean Byamugisha), “Alfie” Adolfo, two UWA rangers, two porters and a cook.

“When I look at the videos of my Mount Elgon hike now, I can see my state of mind change: when I started the hike, I was full of beans; when I finally came down the mountain … I looked and felt so ratchet!!!”

Jean Byamugisha is all smiles as she sets off on day one of her Mount Elgon hike

Day 1 on Mount Elgon – a shock to the system! Overnight at Pichwa Camp

For a novice, the walk up was fair. Compared to all other routes, our route was by far the most gentle of them all. However, the hike was a shock to my system despite all the work I had done in the gym.

By the time we reached Pichwa Camp, an eight-hour walk later, I had sweated beyond what I ever thought possible. However, I was still strong and felt no aches.

After a quick meal and relaxation, I felt like ‘myself’ once again. I managed to take a hot bathe and eat a heavy dinner. Alfie and I even mastered the strength to walk around the camp and visit some local communities in the evening.

This was the first time I was sleeping in a tent. It was quite comfortable thanks to Adolfo’s advice; he had made sure I came equipped with the right gear. Previously, I had no idea about the different types of sleeping bag, mattresses and waterproof tents that would be invaluable in keeping me warm during the night.

Pichwa Camp was the last place with telephone network; after checking in with home and making sure all our loved ones were ok, we set our phones to airplane mode and braced ourselves for what was to be an excruciating day two.

Day 2 on Mount Elgon – higher and colder at Hunters Cave

We woke up at 6:30 am on day two. The cook and UWA staff had breakfast ready and we set off a few minutes before 8 o’clock since day two was going to be a much longer hike.

Day two was much harder on me than day one. The hike was longer, the climb steeper and the weather hotter. Although I had managed to keep up with the team on day one, by day two I was starting to fall a few minutes behind. The higher we went, the thinner the air got, making the climb more difficult with each step.

On the flip side, the vegetation changed at different altitudes and the views from the top of Mount Elgon were simply breath-taking. Being a small team, we had the whole mountain to ourselves; this made it even more special and – dare I say – romantic. Adolfo took on the difficult task of documenting the entire trip. For a girl who loves selfies and pictures, this was amazing (not so much for Adolfo who had to keep at it for the whole trip!)

Mount Elgon National Park hike. Jean Byamugisha.
Mount Elgon National Park hike. Jean Byamugisha.

“While the gym tests your fitness levels, the hike up a mountain tests your endurance levels and many times this is beyond anything the gym can prepare you for.”

Jean Byamugisha

Day two really knocked my body off balance. We arrived at our second stop, Hunters Cave, 12 hours after leaving Pichwa Camp. I was exhausted but – thanks again to the gym sessions – I didn’t have any aches or muscle pulls of any kind.

Hunters Cave was a completely different experience from Pichwa Camp. We were completely in the bush: no bathroom facility, no kitchen and no rooms. Worse yet, it was a much higher altitude and a lot colder than the previous nights. It felt like negative degrees centigrade at this point. For a ‘boujee’ girl like myself this was a complete nightmare. I had to use the bush for all private activities like taking a shower – and worse – going to the toilet. Most shockingly, I enjoyed this experience, mainly because Adolfo made it fun. Actually, without him, I’d never have dreamed of taking on such a challenge in the first place. He carried his favourite speaker and always played music in the camp which cheered everyone and made us forget about the tough hours we had spent walking up the mountain.

Jean Byamugisha. Mount Elgon hike Uganda
Jean Byamugisha. Mount Elgon hike Uganda

We had a lovely dinner of local chicken and rice at Hunters Cave; this was a very welcome delicacy at this point. Taking on such a humongous challenge requires a lot of energy which means that one needs to eat a lot of food. This was a struggle for me who is used to only eating one solid meal a day. Adolfo had articulated the importance of eating a lot on this trip but it’s not something I took seriously; I soon paid for my stubbornness.

Adolfo pitched our tent while I sat with the rest of the guys near the fire as they made dinner. The weather was extremely cold at this altitude and it rained a lot during the course of the night. Once again, it was agreed that we would leave the camp by 8 am as day three was going to be a longer day. I literally passed out when my head hit the sleeping bag. My body was beginning to show signs of fatigue and dehydration.

Day 3 on Mount Elgon – altitude sickness at Mudde Camp

We woke up again early on day three. I still had no aches at this point and felt fit enough to continue the climb, only wishing I had a few more hours of sleep. Waking up in the mornings is hard for me and ordinarily, I am a late riser. This was worsened by sleeping in the bush and being dead tired after walking over 12 hours each day.

“I started off our third day on Mount Elgon feeling like I was running on empty. I felt weak, fatigued and sleep deprived. This was the point at which I started wondering… what in the world made me crazy enough to take on a challenge like this?”

My pace fell several minutes behind the team and I felt extremely weak. I suffered from altitude sickness and at one point I felt like I was about to faint. Adolfo had warned me about not eating enough and this was the day his warning came to pass. The team organised a few breaks where we stopped to eat some pineapples for energy. Adolfo had also packed some high sugar sweets to give one energy in such instances. These helped but day three still felt like a bad dream.

Beyond the physical effort of climbing Mount Elgon, it was an incredible experience to take in Elgon’s beautiful caldera, which I came to know as the second largest caldera in the world. It was also amazing to see the stunning vegetation at this altitude; it looked like something out of an alien movie.

At the lunch stop, I managed to take in enough food to give me the energy needed to complete this leg of the hike. Day three was by far the toughest part of the Elgon hike up to this point. It was made worse by torrential rain which we had no choice but walk through to make sure we reached the next camp before nightfall.

The last night before we started our descent was by far the toughest of the entire hiking trip. Once again, I was lucky not to have any body or leg aches but at this point my body was beaten to a pulp with fatigue. Having almost fainted the day before, I was weak and completely worn out. I dreamt of taking a long hot shower and sleeping in a warm comfy bed. This was also one of the coldest nights of the trip. Despite all this however, I was excited that this was the last night on the mountain.

For the most part, climbing Mt Elgon was fun and – other than the fatigue of walking 12 hours a day – my body was strong.

Day 4 on Mount Elgon – my biggest fear becomes a reality

The last day of the hike was filled with so much hope and excitement. I was excited to finally be returning to civilisation but, most importantly, I was excited that I would count hiking Mount Elgon as one of my greatest achievements. This experience was definitely one for my books. However, I didn’t take into account what an overwhelming feat it was going to be to climb down the mountain. I was informed that it usually takes 8 hours to get to the bottom (and I thought maybe I would do it in 6 hours). This was not to be.

We set off after a sumptuous breakfast of the Uganda delicacy, rolex. I had learned my lesson from the previous day and started day four with a pretty heavy breakfast. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and Adolfo and I even signed our names on the camp door before we left. After taking the obligatory final picture with the rest of the team, off I went, literally hopping down the mountain.

The guides did warn me that climbing down Mount Elgon was in many cases more challenging than actually walking up but I didn’t believe them; it seemed a lot easier to start with, until my boots started hurting my toes. Mountain climbing boots are unlike any other kind of ladies shoes (especially high heels, my shoe of choice for most of my daily chores). Mountain boots are tougher and heavier, and can make your feet more sore when it rains. The weather on the mountain changes from hour to hour. Very soon, the warm bright sun gave way to a dark cloud that turned into heavy rain. This made the descent almost impossible and a lot slower than I had tuned my mind to tolerate. I fell hours behind the rest of the team, especially when my boots started squeezing my toes as I tried to prevent myself from falling in the mud.

My biggest fear became a reality: I was holding the team back. Adolfo would wait for me at different stops but it soon became clear that I needed to descend at my own pace because my legs could not carry me as fast as the rest of team. If I tried to keep up with them, I’d hurt myself even more. The worst was yet to come: due to the pressure of the constant downward incline, I hurt one of my knees. The pain was excruciating. My guide, Justin, sympathised with me and remained by my side the whole way down. Adolfo kept encouraging me; for him I made sure I powered through without complaining because I could see everyone doing their best to make it easy on me. It took almost 12 hours of a very slow, very painful slope to reach the team (who waited almost two hours for me to reach them at the rendez-vous spot).

Lessons learned from my first Ugandan hiking adventure

Jean Byamugisha. Mount Elgon mountain hike Uganda
Still smiling! Jean Byamugisha takes on Mount Elgon, eastern Uganda

Climbing Mount Elgon was by far one of the best and most exciting holidays of my life. It took me out of my comfort zone and made me realise I am a lot stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. Crazy as it felt, I’m sure I’d do it again… although not for at least the next 6 months!

“One of my biggest regrets is not making it to the peak of Wagagai. We were just four hours away from the summit but were advised that for safety reasons, we should start to descend since we had a 12-hour hike ahead of us. This was the right decision because it ended up being a very exhausting day.”

Tips for climbing Mount Elgon

Through my experience hiking Mount Elgon, I learned some lessons that I feel every new climber should consider before attempting such an activity:

1. Climb with someone you love and care about (better if they have experience hiking mountains). The only person I could ever have done this with is Alfie. Enough said on this one 😊

2. Get in shape before attempting to go hiking. The mountain tests every muscle in your body. Even if I had gone to the gym for almost a month to prepare, I was not ready for how hard it was at times. However, my muscles were very grateful for my weeks of training and it took just a couple of days after I got back to start wearing my beloved heels once again.

3. Invest in the right gear for the mountain. Hiking can be an expensive sport. The right gear is quite pricy but once you are on the mountain you realise that it was worth every penny. Most importantly, ask an experienced climber to guide on the right gear to buy before you make the investment. Alfie went shopping with me and his advice was invaluable.

4. Get the right snacks and food. Biggest lesson learned is that when you go hiking you cannot eat as you normally do. You need high energy foods to get the right calories to take you up – and down – the mountain. Every climber should invest wisely in the right snacks to ensure they successfully complete their climb. Pack enough water because you need more than you originally think while hiking.

5. Most of all, have fun! This is a once in a lifetime experience, not one that’s easy to forget. Choose to make the memories fun. I look back on the videos and pictures we took and they always bring a smile to my face.

The Muzungu adds: I hiked Mt Elgon once and I can feel Jean’s pain! Read my blog “Climbing Mount Elgon – with a girl named Kevin.”

If you enjoy reading inspirational stories by Uganda’s tourism heroines, read Lilly Ajarova’s account of “The euphoric Rwenzori Mountains.” 

Entebbe International Airport, Uganda: travel in ‘the new normal’

“Traveling in the age of the pandemic is not for the faint at heart” writes Prof Wolfgang Thome of ATCNews.org Wolfgang flew with Brussels Airlines from Entebbe International Airport, Uganda. He shares his experience of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) testing, airport check-in, what to pack, new protocols for travelers and airport operating procedures.

“The trials and tribulations of travel in the age of #COVID19- Part 1”

Posted 24th October 2020. Republished with the permission of the author.

Wolfgang writes:

We all look back at the days when one could book a ticket, at the airline, with a travel agent or do it online, pay and proceed to Entebbe, go through the – albeit dreaded – security checkpoints, check in, pass immigration and wait for the flight to be called for boarding.

No longer …

When Uganda’s main international aviation gateway finally opened on the 01st of October, months after our neighbours for that matter, had new protocols and operating procedure been introduced, adding more logistical requirements on wannabe travelers intent to leave the country by air.

First, and key to travel, is the required COVID19 negative test, which must be carried out within 72 hours before departure and notable does the clock begin to tick when the test is conducted, NOT when the results are released. It has been established that travelers have been barred from entering the airport after falling foul of these time limits.

COVID test form. Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
COVID test form. Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
COVID test receipt. Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
COVID test receipt. Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org

While a range of facilities in Kampala, Entebbe and of late also Mbarara are able to take the test swabs, do most then send the vials to an official laboratory where the actual test is carried out.

Cost, as reported on ATCNews before, varies, as does the time frame within which the results are transmitted – which can take anywhere between 6 to 10 hours to two days. The need for speed does influence the cost of course and the faster the results are needed the more a traveler has to pay.

That hurdle taken, flight booking made, paid for and e-ticket issued, can packing then commence. Most airlines restrict the amount of cabin baggage to reduce the time needed to stow it away and reduce potential contact points for passengers and crew and travelers should more strictly observe these rules today than was the case in the past. It has been mentioned that both checked bags and cabin bags would be sanitized – at least the handles – but no evidence was seen to that effect when checking in at Entebbe.

I had opted to use the NAS – formerly ENHAS – Pearl Assist service, available for departing and arriving passengers, to ease the process of navigating through the various security and health check points before reaching the check in counters, but the service extends beyond that through immigration, into the lounge and then to the point of boarding.

First was my test result checked and the bar code scanned – from my phone, no hard copies are required – before I could proceed to the terminal entrance. There, as before, are passports looked at as are tickets following which entrance into the departure terminal is granted.

The immediate entrance security check is then conducted as was the case before, of all bags as well as the personal scan and when passed can one then proceed to the airline’s check in counter.

There again, are passport, ticket and yellow fever certificate checked before one is actually able to proceed to the counter itself. Plexiglass shields keep the distance between airline and handling agency staff and passenger.

The Brussels Airlines staff, as usual, were at their friendliest best, not having seen me for nearly 9 months since my last flight with them, and with my seat prebooked were the bags swiftly labelled and tagged before beginning their own journey on the baggage band into the loading area at ground level.

Next came immigration, the desks equally upgraded with added safety measures in the form of plexiglass shields. The staff were wearing masks and gloves while handling the passport and after I had scanned my finger prints I used my own sanitizer to clean my hands.

Next then came another new feature which needs to be mentioned.

In the past were boarding security checks carried out at every gate – there are four in use right now at Entebbe International Airport – but now a single departure area entrance point check has been installed, just behind the main duty free shops.

A second such checkpoint has been installed just at the door of the Government VIP Lounge, covering all entrances to the main departure area and ensuring that access to the boarding gate is now less congested, improving the traffic flow considerably.

This single access checkpoint is something ATCNews has repeatedly suggested in the past, as this feature had been introduced at other regional and international airports, but it took the pandemic to finally get this done, and well done for that matter. Better late than never …

Social distance. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
The remodelled main departure waiting area ensures physical distancing with signs on the floor and spacing on the seats. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
Man wearing PPE. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
Also seen here is a traveler whose outfit reminded me of the proverbial overkill
Man wearing PPE. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org

My next step of the journey was the use of the Premium Lounge in Entebbe, where again added safety measures had been put into place, including spaced seating. My Pearl Assist service member Robert delivered me to the lounge and escorted me later to the gate for boarding. His shift leaders Carol, who after introducing herself then handed over to Christine, both kept checking on progress, so no passenger booking this service will feel left alone at any stage from arrival at the airport to the point of boarding their aircraft.

Service at the lounge remains friendly but self service is no longer possible as all snacks and drinks MUST be served by staff, who are properly attired with gloves, masks and head shields. Guests can only touch their food and drinks once delivered to their tables, again in line with global health and safety protocols.

COVID sign. VIP Lounge. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org
COVID sign. VIP Lounge. Entebbe Airport, Uganda 2020 PHOTO ATCNews.org

The final stage before departure was boarding and as the incoming aircraft from Kigali had landed 25 minutes early was boarding equally called early.
The Pearl Assist service was again at hand, ensured the use of priority boarding and then bid me farewell as Brussels Airlines staff took over. After a final check on my boarding pass and passport was I guided to the aircraft, an Airbus A330-300, for my nonstop flight to Brussels.

As always when I travel directly to Europe I use Brussels Airlines for my flight which I already reviewed on TripAdvisor though part 2 of this narrative too will reflect on my experience.

Details of this part of my journey, covering the ‘New Normal’ inflight service, my arrival experience in Brussels and my subsequent onward journey to Germany, will be covered in part 2 of this narrative.

In closing, compliments to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority for putting effective measures into place to make the flow from arrival to boarding somewhat more efficient compared to the past.

When it rains challenges remain of course to reach the departure level from the parking / drop off area but construction of the new terminal is advancing and that eternal problem – to remain relatively dry when it pours – will then hopefully be a thing of the past.

Staff, from aviation security to health personnel, were markedly more courteous and friendly, perhaps reminded by the 7 months grounding that it is travelers which keep them employed and who deserve a friendly disposition at all times and at all locations.

You can read the original article here on ATCNews.org

Wolfgang is a prolific writer and blogger at ATC (Aviation, Tourism and Conservation) News. He is an aviation expert and has worked at a strategic level in tourism across East Africa for over four decades. He posts daily #COVID19 updates at 6 am and 6 pm. Read The future of travel in East Africa – Diary of a Muzungu’s interview with Prof Thome.

When can I travel to Uganda? post-lockdown FAQs based on Qs and As with travelers. September 2020

Now is the time to take precautions! US Embassy Kampala August 2020

Coronavirus survival tips: how to work from home based on a decade working from home in Uganda. March 2020

Bracing ourselves for Coronavirus in Uganda comprehensive health advice. Published March 2020 and updated regularly.

Are you traveling to Uganda? Have you passed through Entebbe Airport during the pandemic? Please share your experiences – or any questions – here. We’d love to read them 🙂

How to get around #Kampala (when you don’t have a helicopter)

How to travel around Kampala – Walk? Cycle? Boda boda? Drive? Taxis or special hire? Matatu? Bus or coach? Train? Helicopter?!

New expats frequently ask me where the best places are to live in Kampala and I always recommend trying to live the same side of town as you work. Scroll down and you’ll understand why. Kampala does not have a public transport system as such (it’s all privately owned) but there are many different ways of travelling to and around the city. Here’s the muzungu’s introduction to the different types of transport and a few personal recommendations.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know I’m always up for a new adventure so I’ve tried all the different methods of transport across Kampala.

⦁ Walking
⦁ Cycling
Boda boda motorbikes
⦁ Cars
⦁ Taxis and special hires
Matatus
⦁ Buses and coaches
⦁ Train
⦁ Helicopter!

Walking in Kampala

If you’re within walking distance of where you work, then lucky you! My organisation office was in the spare room of my home for my first few years in Uganda and I was saved the hassle of fighting through Kampala’s traffic. I had no idea how lucky I was!

wetlands below Bukasa Muyenga Kampala
You wouldn’t think this was in Kampala would you? Morning view across the wetlands below Bukasa, Muyenga Kampala. A morning walk is the perfect way to start my day

Walking my dogs through the back roads of Bukasa and Muyenga were some of my happiest times in Uganda. Here’s a favourite walk of ours. Once you’re in town however, walking is an altogether different matter.

streets closed for Kampala City Festival
Pavements along Kampala Road are good. Very occasionally the streets are closed to vehicles (this was during the Kampala City Festival)

It’s only in the centre of town and around the central business district (CBD) that you will find decent pavements. In other parts of town, pavements may suddenly end without warning (if they exist). Drainage covers may be there today and gone tomorrow so always tread carefully. If you have kids, forget bringing the buggy to Kampala. You won’t be able to push it very far.

Cycling in Kampala

I know very few expats who dare to cycle on Kampala’s crazy streets. I used to cycle when I lived in London but here we have little awareness of cyclists or their safety. You wouldn’t find me cycling around Kampala unless it is down by Lake Victoria or on the quiet hills of Kololo or Nakasero. Save your biking for weekends in Lake Mburo or Fort Portal. (Did you know there is an annual mountain bike tour in Karamoja?)

Boda boda motorbikes

These are undoubtedly the quickest way of getting from A to B and the city couldn’t function without them. Boda boda drivers are our best friends, our Mr Fix It, frequently our saviours – just choose with discretion. They can be a real menace too. Read my blog How to ride a boda boda.

rush hour boda bodas Jinja Road Kampala
Rush hour boda bodas Jinja Road Kampala

If you take a boda boda, do yourself a favour and wear a helmet. Don’t just accept a lift from random guys driving past either. Get to know riders from your local boda boda stage or download one of the ‘ride hailing apps’ such as SafeBoda or Uber app in Kampala. Their boda riders are registered and (Usually but not always) bring you a high quality helmet to wear.

Driving a car in Kampala

Lots of people prefer the comfort and privacy of having their own cars. I bought my car from expat friends and enjoyed the independence of it for many years. What I didn’t enjoy were the many hours sweating in traffic jams at Jinja Road. Neither did I appreciate being pulled over by the traffic police for some minor offence they had just cooked up when they spotted a loan muzungu. (They pick on Ugandans too, I know!)

The weirdest occasion was one Christmas Eve when I was driving through the industrial area. The traffic policeman ahead of me motioned me to pull over. “What have I done?” I asked him innocently. He walked around the car.

“I’m pulling you over for having a faulty rear brake light” he said.

“How could you see that when you were standing in front of me?” I asked him.

“For us, we have special powers” came the reply.

Driving in Kampala – not for the nervous is a popular post by a former expat.

Taxis and special hires

This is where it gets confusing!

Private cars are called ‘specials’ or special hires.

When a British person like me thinks of a taxi, this is what I see:

Black London taxi cab. Jimmy Barrett [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Black London taxi cab

Matatus

In Kampala however, ask for a taxi (pronounced taxiiiiiii) and someone will point you to a matatu or minibus. The crowded old taxi park in downtown Kampala is an experience in itself! It can be pretty intense.

Old taxi Park Kampala Diary of a Muzungu
Diary of a Muzungu (plus new mattress!) squeezes into a matatu in the Old Taxi Park Kampala

The 12 seater minibus taxis (generally white with turquoise ‘go faster’ stripes) are the cheapest way to get around but the routes can be annoying as you have to go into the centre of town to get out to the other side. People often walk a bit, take a matatu and then take the second one or jump on a boda boda for the last part of their journey.

Matatus are very cheap. There are no price lists, no receipts and no timetable. They have set prices but the conductor (who sits by the sliding door and takes your money) will frequently try and overcharge you if you’re a muzungu. It is inevitable but you will quickly get to know what’s a fair price. Most routes charge 1,000 shillings (equivalent to 20 British pence or 30 US cents). If you’re not sure how much to pay, fellow passengers will usually help you out (and scold the conductor at the same time!) Travel with loose change or small notes if you’re using a taxiiiiiii in Kampala.

Matatus are good if you are on a tight budget, have a good book to read and can go to work very early (or arrive home very late). Play with your expensive phone at your peril. Thieves are known to put their hand through taxi windows and snatch phones when you’re stuck in traffic.

Jeremy Clarkson downtown Kampala. Top Gear
British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear team drove through Kampala. Here they were looking for a way to get out of the old taxi park!

The downside with matatus is that they frequently get stuck in traffic, especially around the taxi park and Clock Tower roundabout. It’s not uncommon to sit for one or two hours without moving. Their drivers are often aggressive. Also, you have to be careful of your belongings on these crowded minibuses as there are lots of cunning pickpockets. One friend was relieved of her laptop in a matatu. She had no idea she was being robbed until she got out of the taxi and opened her bag to see her laptop had been replaced by bricks!

If you are using a taxi upcountry, expect to fit a lot more than 12 people in!

matatus Nairobi streets
Nairobi’s matatus – famous for their graffiti decor and pumping sound systems – are bigger than Uganda’s vehicle of the same name

Note: Uganda’s matatus are twelve-seater minibuses, slightly different from Nairobi’s matatus which are buses, coaches or ‘coasters’ (slightly smaller than a bus).

Buses and coaches

Within Kampala city, Pioneer are the only bus company that I know of. Their buses are new, well-maintained with fixed routes, fixed prices and even tickets! Oh how I wish the city had more of these.

Link bus coach station Kampala Uganda. Diary of a Muzungu
I used to take the Link bus between Kampala to Fort Portal and posted this photo a few years ago.
MAY 2022 I saw this same photo of me circulating on WhatsApp after a fatal bus crash. This driver was at the wheel and perished 😪😪😪 so did many others

If you want to travel outside Kampala, upcountry or across one of Uganda’s borders, buses are safer than matatus, which have a particularly poor safety record. Bus companies I have used regularly are Mash, Link and Jaguar Executive Coaches. Other people also recommend Oxygen, Coast and Modern Coaches. After the latest crash I am not recommending any of them! (But the reality is we don’t always have a choice).

Train

If you are lucky enough to live in Kireka or Namanve, you can even get the train into town! The downside is that the service is infrequent although it does have a daily timetable and it’s very cheap. Click on the image to read more about Kampala’s commuter train service.

Rift Valley Railways Kampala train view towards Kireka
Rift Valley Railways Kampala passenger train – early morning view from the train window

I simply love trains. Read about my train travels across East Africa:

Helicopter

I once crossed Jinja Road by helicopter!

helicopter flight Murchison Falls
Helicopter pilot David Guy (flying over Murchison Falls in this photo)

When I was a volunteer, I got to know the pilot of the helicopter stationed at International Hospital Muyenga. I begged him for a ride (not thinking there was any likelihood of it).

One morning he called me. “Can you get to the hospital in fifteen minutes? I have to transfer the helicopter to the grounds of the Serena Hotel to pick up a private client. You can hop in if you want to?”

God I was excited – but no sooner had the helicopter lifted off the ground than we were landing again… and that sums up my travel experiences in helicopter!

What’s the muzungu’s preferred way of travelling around Kampala?

These days I’m a regular user of one of the ride hailing apps. I use them regularly when I’m in Kampala – but the cars all cost more than they used to.

Diary of a Muzungu. Uber driver downtown Kampala
I love talking to Uber drivers – everyone has a story

Although Uber and Bolt aren’t Kampala’s only ride hailing app, they do offer the most flexibility and for tourists and new expats, they are recognised brands that you may already have on your phone. The system works exactly the same way as it does ‘back home’ but cash is always preferred by drivers. Few of them accept credit cards. Very few shops in Uganda accept credit cards – we just aren’t there yet.

view from my Uber. Kampala
View from my mobile office in Kampala! My work day starts once I’m in Uber

What’s great about Uber’s service in Kampala is that they have both cars and boda bodas. However, SafeBoda has 100s of bodas now and Uber doesn’t.

What are your tips for travelling around Kampala? If you’re coming to live in Uganda for the first time, read Uganda for beginners – an introduction for new expats.

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“I saw things” Nyege Nyege Festival

Eating life: Nyege Nyege Festival 2018

PHOTOS Tweny Benjamin, Tweny Moments

“I saw things.

The 4-day fete ended last night. And I saw things. I saw music and art come together in matrimony. I saw free spirited souls, sticking their noses in the air like greyhounds, chasing for a section that had the loudest and ‘lit’ music. I saw a tribe of happy campers, leaving their warm beds in Uganda’s capital, to sleep on small blocks of mattresses under the stewing Jinja heat.

I saw hungry entrepreneurs, predominantly young people, trying to make an extra buck. From innovative startups like Musana Carts to the famous Kyadondo Pork. I saw young creatives sell apparel to festival goers. I saw tattoo artistes trying to make ends meet an ink at a time.

I saw brands like Uganda Waragi and Coca-Cola feeding people the way Jesus would. In fact, at some point, there was no 750 ML UG – Coconut and Pineapple flavours. They were drank out. I saw business for these brands.

I saw friends from Kigali, Nairobi, South Africa, around the world. A tribe of happy souls speaking one language, wanderlusters, on a hunt for happiness. I saw friends from Tanzania who flew in with #AirTanzania2UG that’s been recently launched.

I saw young DJs like Kampire Bahana making people literally go wild. I saw young photographers like Zahara Abdul and Tweny Benjamin making pictures and money.

I saw Boda Bodas ferrying people from all corners of Jinja town, a business chance that shows up once in a year – September. I saw Java House in Jinja fill up with festival goers looking for a remedy for their hangover. I saw a beeline to the Source of The Nile, local and international tourists queuing up to see River Nile head to Egypt.

I saw hotels and guest houses and lodges booked out for 4 days. I saw performances and talented artistes I would never imagine seeing. I saw a festival in its infant stage, on a runway, picking up to take to the skies. I saw a festival that will be the biggest festival in Africa. A Coachella in the making. A Tomorrowland in the oven. A Burning Man in a potter’s hands.

I didn’t see animals.”

Thanks to Nimusiima Edward who allowed me to share his Facebook update of September 10th 2018.

Edward Nimusiima, Charlotte Diary of a Muzungu
Hanging out at Big Mike’s on Acacia Avenue with Ed Nimusiima – usually pictured with a Nile Special in hand!

In its 4th year, Nyege Nyege Festival is undoubtedly Uganda’s number one party festival, with revellers coming from all over Uganda, Nairobi and beyond for the 4 day event. It caused quite a stir last week when Uganda’s “Ethics and Integrity Minister” Father Lokodo wanted to cancel it. This only served to give it an even bigger (free!) publicity boost.

Over the past decade, Uganda has seen a mushrooming of arts, music and dance festivals. The mega Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is arguably Uganda’s best arts festival.

Nyege Nyege stands for peace, respect and abundant joy, it stands for Africa and Africans, for underground music and musicians, it stands for fun and curiosity and strives towards inclusivity and wonder, something of a perfect world you might say, but it’s only 4 days after all.

Nyege nyege can be translated as ‘the urge to dance.’ (Jiggy jiggy might be another term for it!)

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.

Chimping in “Chibale” (Kibale Forest) – a family affair

Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Clare Park, a British tourist who visited Uganda with her family recently. She writes “We are all keen nature and animal lovers and have been to Africa several times before, but never Uganda. We all had a truly, truly wonderful time! Every part of our Uganda holiday was so special. We relive it often through the photos and videos and will absolutely return.”

A highlight of Clare’s trip was chimp trekking in Kibale Forest – it makes exciting reading!

Clare writes:

I have always wanted to see chimps in their natural environment. I studied clinical language sciences at uni. This included linguistics and the study of chimp versus human communication. It was fascinating. I love all animals, but particularly primates, and would one day like to work with them – ideally studying their non-verbal language.

We recently had the privilege of spending two weeks with my cousin’s cousin Malcolm Wilson who lived in Uganda for 17 years and now lives in South Africa. Malcolm visits Uganda regularly to guide bird (and bird ringing) trips. Kibale Forest was on the circuit he had planned for us to share the wonders of this beautiful country. We stayed with a friend of his who has studied chimps for many years: Julia has a beautiful home overlooking Kibale Forest. It’s a very special place to stay.

Sunbird Hill visitors Kibale Forest

The Park family used Sunbird Hill as their base while they were chimp tracking in Kibale Forest. Clare is seated top left. Expert ornithologist and bird ringer / birder Malcolm is seated bottom left.

We were all overwhelmed when we arrived at the stunning location. Sunbird Hill – where Julia has built her family home – is now offering B and B. We were greeted so warmly and, as the sun was setting, were offered gin and tonic – but no ordinary gin – Uganda Waragi gin in a sachet! Even better, there was ice and lemon to accompany the gin – things which we hadn’t been able to get since arriving in Uganda and staying at various other lodges. It was a perfect drink in a perfect location to start our chimp trekking experience.

chimpanzee feet, Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest edge

A pair of Chimpanzee feet, high in the canopy of a fig tree. This photo was taken from Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest edge

The following day my husband Mike, daughters Amy (22) and Bea (17) and son Ed (19) set off to do our much longed-for chimp trekking. Our driver took us to the Uganda Wildlife Authority office 3 km from Sunbird Hill to register for our chimp trekking before setting off. Here we were assigned a ranger who had years of experience with the chimpanzees. The rangers know this chimp community of Kibale Forest intimately, having studied them closely and worked to habituate some of the chimpanzees. Habituation means that when tourists enter Kibale Forest, chimps see them as neutral and continue about their daily lives as if no-one is watching.

After a briefing from our guide about “the do’s and don’ts of chimp trekking” we soon entered Kibale Forest’s tall tree canopy and rich vegetation. Ahead, rangers communicate the location of where the chimps are to be found. We soon located an adolescent female chimp of around 13 years old. She was feeding from a tree when we first saw her, eating some berries. We stood and looked up at her high on a branch enjoying her feast. She seemed unperturbed by us looking on. She then climbed down the tree and set off on the ground at quite a pace. Our ranger indicated for us to follow her, keeping a distance behind her of approximately eight metres. She would occasionally stop, have a look around, perhaps feed on something and then set off again. We had the privilege of her allowing us to follow her on the ground for about forty minutes. At one point she stopped and tore a piece of bark from a tree and started to lick it for fluid and scratch it to remove the bugs. She then put it on her shoulders to carry and set off again. The bark fell off after a few paces.

female chimp oestrus Kibale Forest

When you see a chimpanzee with a pink and swollen rear, it indicates she is in season

We were later informed by Julia, the resident chimp expert at Sunbird Hill, that this was a very unusual thing to observe. In her years of studying chimps, Julia had never seen a chimp attempt to carry anything on their shoulders. She was quite excited by what we had seen. We even had video footage to show her.

The female teenage chimp then climbed high into a tree and started feeding on fruits again. We were joined by several other groups of trekkers at this point and it did not seem right to stay any longer, so we headed back to base.

Even though it is usual to see large groups of chimps when trekking in Kibale Forest, the intimacy of being able to follow one chimp at proximity and to observe her going about her daily routine was very special. We learnt a lot about how she moved, fed, climbed, rested, broke wood and carried it. It was interesting to observe her character and note that she wasn’t seeking the company of other chimps. Julia commented that it is quite rare to see a chimp of this age on her own for such a lengthy period of time – and that she let us follow her. We all concluded that perhaps this female chimp had just needed some ‘time out’ on her own!

[A very short clip!]

My family were all very humbled by the time we spent observing her and we took many photos and videos. Nothing quite captures the specialness of seeing a chimpanzee in their natural environment.

The following day I decided I would return and do another trek: I needed another ‘ fix’ of chimps. One morning wasn’t enough for me, given my fascination with them.

After another early morning briefing, I was assigned a group with five other trekkers. Our ranger Moses was informed early on that there was a community of chimps nearby. We set off at a pace.

We approached a slight clearing in which sat several magnificent tall trees with their branches sprawling out horizontally, forming a ‘climbing frame’ for the chimps. Here the screeching of these fascinating creatures started and just didn’t stop. Chimps charged through the undergrowth, banging their feet on tree stumps to create a sound like a drum. Their mouths were open wide, baring their teeth as their vocal sounds rose in a crescendo. There were chimps everywhere – high in the canopy, on the ground, still, active, noisy, quiet – so many, I lost count. Old, young, big, small, feeding, playing, grooming, fighting. The behaviours I observed in that hour of observation are almost indescribable. Every few seconds there was a new noise to turn to, a rustle in the vegetation high or low, the sounds of animals swinging between trees and often dropping from height in pursuit of another chimp, either in play or threat. I took so many photos trying to capture the chaos of what I was witnessing; recordings of their non-verbal behaviour and audio recordings of their vocal communication.

Three chimpanzees grooming. Kibale Forest, western Uganda

Three chimpanzees grooming. Kibale Forest, western Uganda

We happened across three mature male chimps, sitting one behind each other on a broken branch on the ground. They all sat facing in one direction, the front one turning to the one behind sporadically to groom him. We were less than a few metres away. It was mesmerising watching them.

Two chimpanzees grooming. Kibale Forest, western Uganda

Two chimpanzees grooming. Kibale Forest, western Uganda

Two younger male chimps sat on the ground, taking it in turns to groom each other, working methodically from the head to the back to the legs. There seemed to be an unspoken rule of how long they groomed before turning around and letting the other groom in return. The non-verbal communication was fascinating to observe.

chimpanzee lying on ground. Kibale Forest, western UgandaAnother chimp lay on his back on some leaves to rest just in front of us. He rolled onto his side after a big yawn and lay there as if to say, ‘now that is more comfortable.’ It seemed so human.

After the hour of observation (which passed in a flash) we headed back to Uganda Wildlife Authority’s chimp trekking base office at Kanyanchu. Our whole group were somewhat overwhelmed and therefore quiet. Words couldn’t express what we had shared. I had several moments during the hour when my emotions got the better of me; I just welled up with joy at what we were experiencing. It was all just too much, in the most beautiful of ways.

As we headed back to base we had to cross the road which has recently been upgraded and tarmacked for improved access to the tourist area of Kibale Forest. Whilst it was probably needed at a practical level, there were grave concerns around how the increased volume and speed of traffic would impact the safety of the chimp communities. As we reached the tarmac we observed a community of chimps crossing the road – oblivious to the danger of the traffic. Fortunately, the rangers were there to intervene and stop the buses, coaches and other vehicles hurtling around the blind corner just as the entire community crossed: young and old, a baby on a mum’s back. We all held our breath as we watched them safely reach the other side of the road where the forest continued. It was a poignant end to an overwhelming experience and one couldn’t help wondering if modernising the road so traffic could pass through at greater speeds was in fact a big mistake. Time will tell – but there seemed to be much concern, understandably from the rangers.

Once back at UWA’s chimp trekking office, I said farewell to my group members and UWA guide Moses. He had observed how emotional I had been several times and realised just how very special our trek had been. The rangers said I would always be welcome there if I ever wanted to pursue my dream of watching and analysing non-verbal chimp communication, a life-long dream.

One day I will be back in Kibale Forest.

There was the option to do a further day in which you join a habituation group and go out with the rangers and researchers to continue the habituation of other chimp communities. Sadly, my family and I had to head off the next day.

Back at Sunbird Hill, my family were keen to hear how I had got on. At first, I felt reluctant to share just how different that morning’s chimp trekking had been compared to the day before. However, hand on heart, I can’t say one experience was better than the other. They were both totally unique. Observing the female chimp had been so intimate as we got to learn her movements and expressions. The second morning was such a contrast – I lost count of the number of chimps we saw – the noise, the chaos, the movements, the high energy of these fabulous creatures as they went about their everyday socialising. However, I was completely mentally exhausted after the second morning and, once I got back to our treehouse-style hut at Sunbird Hill, I found myself crying uncontrollably at the sheer wonder of what I had seen in the last 24 hours. It was everything – and way more than I could ever have imagined. It is quite impossible to translate the joy and happiness I experienced watching these highly intelligent and fascinating creatures. They are so close to us humans it is quite remarkable – and a little bit ‘Planet of the Apes’!

I think about Kibale Forest often and I know I will go back in some capacity to top up this beautiful lifetime experience.

The muzungu: Thanks Clare for sharing your fantastic experience! We look forward to seeing you again very soon 🙂

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.

Why I believe there’s witchcraft (A tribute to my dog)

Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Bash Fahad Mutumba, a Ugandan blogger and fellow dog-lover!
 
Bash Fahad Mutumba
Bash Fahad Mutumba is a blogger, poet and social media influencer
 Bash writes:

“Omukazi twala, leeta embwa…” — “Take my wife, give me a dog…” goes my clan motto.

See, I belong to the Kkobe Clan of Buganda Kingdom and here, every clan is named after a totem: literally something to which a clan ought to accord maximum respect; something the clan is never supposed to eat, if edible to others — or risk a hefty punishment by an unforgiving oracle. My clan has a rather unusual totem, Ekkobe, which is not an animal like most other totems in the kingdom — it is from a plant… a potato-like tuber… it is food. So we normally introduce ourselves as Abazira Mmere (those to whom food is a taboo) — mysterious! Isn’t it?

Ekkobe plant Uganda. Buganda totem
The Ekkobe plant is the totem of the Kkobe clan of Buganda. (The word should not be confused with Enkobe, the Luganda name for the mountain gorilla)
Ekkobe plant Uganda. Buganda totem
The ‘food tuber’ of the Ekkobe plant is very rare. Baganda who have grown up in Kampala may not even be familiar with it. Although some clans may cook Ekkobe like Irish potato and eat it, the Kkobe clan cannot

My great grandfather was a Mwami Wa Kabaka (King’s Minister), one of the few landlords in the present-day Kyaddondo East (forget these ones of today who don’t even own a mile of land). He was blessed to marry a daughter to Ham Mukasa, one of the survivors of the Uganda Martyr Killings. For that reason, I treasure my name. For it is an indelible mark of my heritage. Like a heartbeat it sounds — Mutumba… Mutumba….

I guess you’re now wondering why I’m feeding you with all this history mumbo-jumbo. I just intend to state that my clan motto is indeed one of the kingdom’s most famous.

I am not one of the many that perceive this motto as chauvinistic and patriarchal; I rather think our Mubala shows love for the dog, but not disdain for the woman. You wonder who thinks otherwise? Well, our neighbours of Lugave Clan have a mubala (clan motto) that goes,

“Bw’ompa akawala ako, ng’ebbanja liwedde…” — “If you give me that little girl, I will forget all you owe me…”

So it is obvious that those folks would look at our motto as misogynistic; which to me, is not true.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t say this because of the immense support I have for my heritage — I in fact have been hating most of it since I was born. I never believed that the seedling my grandma planted for me to wash my face on, every morning, was the reason why I got back my appetite — though truly I started eating well again, after a few mornings of my ordered irrigations. I never believed that the big python whose big tree-house people visited from far and beyond, had any supernatural powers. I never believed that the trances that I underwent were the famous Eyaabwe, which the Ganda say are ancestral spirits, which disturb children who don’t go back to the village; to Kulima Ebiijja (cleaning the burial grounds) of the long-gone Jajjas (ancestors). I never took seriously anyone who spoke in tongues and rolled on the ground at family reunions, claiming to be possessed and/or passing on our ancestors’ message to us. I never believed that the failure to wipe my body with herbs after cleaning our ancestral burial grounds was the reason why I got demented and vomited vehemently — without a single infection — only to feel better after being forced to gulp on a concoction of bitter herb juice. The exorcism, to me, was just luck and not magic.

a dog named Police
RIP. A dog named Police – Bash’s dog

Amidst all this disbelief, only one thing could sway my guarded heart — a dog. For as far as my memory serves me, I grew up with a dog by my side, her name: Police. Whether I was out to hunt squirrels, trapping guinea fowls, or swimming in clay-mine ponds, Police was always by my side, sharing the depths of the water with me when she could — like a Guardian Angel.

“Shaw…”, I would tell her; pointing at anything that I wanted her to chase after. Not only enemies though, sometimes she would be chasing the ball in our thrilling soccer game of two.

Police died a very early death, in my opinion by then. And if I were to say she didn’t leave a hole in my heart, I would be lying. None of her offspring understood me half the way she did, and neither did their own. They died off one by one till her entire lineage was done.

The Indians fancy the theory of reincarnation: I somehow started believing it too when I got myself a beautiful pup from my neighbour’s litter. Cobra was white like cassava milk; the only things on her body that weren’t white were her dilated pink pupils. For some weird reason, I could see Police whenever I looked in Cobra’s eyes — reincarnation? She was the closest among all dogs to being like my Police. But at about 20 years in dog age – 17 months of age in reality – Cobra meddled in classified business! She trespassed into a shrine of a renowned Native Doctor during a ritual. The Witch and her congregation praised Jajja Nalumoso for appearing to them physically in form of a white creature — a known habit of the Spirit of Nalumoso. Since then, my dog has not come back home. She carelessly bypasses me when she’s out on a walk – to God-knows-where – with the Witch’s son. She doesn’t even remember her name, Cobra; Nalumoso is all she hears. I can’t believe she forgot about her baby boy, Doddie — he misses Mom so dearly. His black fur and golden brown patches, get more melancholic every new dawn. His eyes… well… mine get teary whenever I look in his. He keeps his tired gaze, everyday, fixed on the path his mother took before she failed to return.

I don’t care much about anything else. I just wish the Witch knew at least my clan’s mubala; so she could take anything and leave my dog with me.

Follow Bash on Twitter: @BashMutumba Instagram: @bashmutumba Facebook: Bash Fahad Mutumba

The Muzungu: thanks Bash for a cultural tour of Buganda! The totem system fascinates me: “Bampita Nagawa” – “they call me Nagawa” and my totem is Enkima, the red-tailed monkey.

If you’ve been reading Diary of a Muzungu since the early days (2009) you will remember how I was lucky enough to have my first dog when I came to Uganda. He was my best buddy (and the inspiration for my logo). Tragically, he had an accident. But look at him, isn’t he a carbon copy of Bash’s mutt?

Baldrick USPCA dog show Kampala Diary of a Muzungu
Baldrick ‘Superdog’ came First in the Dog with the Waggiest Tail competition at the USPCA dog show

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.

A rainy season journey: ‘nsenene’ grasshopper road trip to Fort Portal

A rainy season journey: nsenene grasshopper road trip to Fort Portal

Our dawn departure from Kampala is marked by streaks of pink and orange daybreak filtering over Port Bell and Lake Victoria. Houselights twinkle in the darkness. Kampala is so pretty at this time of day.

We are driving to Fort Portal. Along Hoima Road, a traffic policeman dressed in white leaps out into the road to intercept a passing saloon car that has large white canvas sacks billowing out of every window.

An excited Julia shouts “nsenene!”

Grasshoppers are back on the menu!

nsenene grasshopper road trip
A handful of cooked ‘nsenene’ grasshoppers Entebbe. Did I enjoy them? (Scroll down…)

It’s rainy season and there is a glut of nsenene (grasshoppers). The sacks contain live insects that are hung out of the window of the moving vehicle to keep them cool as they are transported to Kampala markets. Ugandans are going crazy for the delicacy, with queues of people lining up downtown to buy them.

Vehicle after vehicle drives towards us laden with white canvas sacks.

It’s 7 o’clock on a November morning.

Julia recounts the story of the day she bought a quarter sack of nsenene on a previous road trip between Fort Portal and Kampala. The kids were screaming with excitement at the thought of feasting on them. Grasshoppers do not have a long shelf life. They have to be ‘cleaned’ (their wings and legs removed) before they can be washed and cooked. Everyone arrived home from the long journey exhausted, she said, but then had to spend several hours plucking off wings and legs! “I think everyone was too sick to eat them after that!”

I remember opening the fridge the next day to find it full of grasshoppers (in addition to the chicken feet and cow hooves reserved for the dog!)

boy holding nsenene grasshoppers grasshopper road trip
As sweet as the wording on his T-shirt: a young boy delicately holds a bunch of live nsenene grasshoppers Mubende. PHOTO Malcolm Wilson

On our journey, Malcolm likes reminding us that Julia was a full-on vegan when they first knew each other many years ago on the Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Back then a grasshopper would not have passed her lips.

At a small trading centre we see some lovely looking chapatis. “Let’s stop for a rolex,” Malcolm says. Everyone loves a rolex. The popular Ugandan street food (of an omelette wrapped in a chapatti) has gone global this year (thanks to an article called ‘The African dishes you should be eating’ on CNN.com)

Our car pulls up next to an open-air butchery. Next to the car, the butcher hacks at a lump of meat with a machete. His face is covered with tiny flecks of meat. Big slabs of beef hang on hooks, intestines lie glistening on a table.

“I’m just going to get some cow hooves for the dogs,” Julia informs me. (Barf. Did you need to tell me? I beg).

As she walks towards the butcher, she stumbles over the head of a recently butchered cow. It sits upside down on the muddy ground, bright red blood draining onto the dark floor. A man straps the cow’s head to the back of his bicycle and wheels it away.

Malcolm gets back into the car frustrated. “That guy has a chapati, the other guy has eggs, but no-one can make me a rolex!” He is on a mission. He decides to return to the stall and get the vendors organised.

Meanwhile, I should not be surprised to see Julia instruct a man to tie a bag of grasshoppers onto the front of our vehicle!

nsenene Mubende grasshopper road trip
In Mubende, a small sack of live nsenene is fixed to the front of our car

A woman rushes over with a basket of roasted gonja (bananas) on her head. A young man walks up to our parked car and shows me a gold coin. He asks me how much I want to buy it for. He’s trying to sell the muzungu a 20 cent Euro coin. (I wonder if he’s been asking every passing muzungu to buy it).

A happy Malcolm gets back into the car with three monster-sized rolex. The chapatis are thick and well-cooked. They are delicious! We are ten minutes south of Mityana.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve!” Malcolm counts twelve Great Blue Turacos. “They must have just come out of roost,” he says (meaning the birds have just left their overnight perch).

Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest. Charlotte Beauvoisin
Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest. PHOTO Charlotte Beauvoisin

As we continue our journey towards Fort Portal, more cars come towards us, overloaded with grasshoppers.

“I could carry three sofa sets on the roof of my car today and none of the traffic police would notice!” Exclaims Julia. This morning, the traffic police are only interested in watching the vehicles heading to Kampala.

En route we talk about birds, we talk about conservation, we talk about the many poacher snares and traps that have been recovered by Uganda Conservation Foundation and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Last time I drove this road I had to slam on the brakes to avoid crashing into a cow that walked straight into the road without looking (it seems to be a Ugandan trait!)

We pass lines of bright shiny corrugated iron sheets, set in horizontal lines to catch grasshoppers. The insects are attracted by a bright light bulb that reflects onto the metal. The insects crash into the metal sheets and land in the buckets at the bottom.

muzungu's first taste grasshoppers (nsenene) grasshopper road trip
The muzungu’s first taste of grasshoppers (nsenene) – I quite like them now I have stopped obsessing over wings and legs!

At Mubende, we pull over for Julia to buy some fried grasshoppers and mbuzi roasted ‘goat on a stick’.

“That’s baboon meat!” Shouts Malcolm.

“It’s not baboon!” Laughs the meat-seller.

A man selling water and sodas bangs on the window and tells me to put the window down. I bang back at him angrily. He gets the point and we smile at each other through the glass.

I spot three Hooded Vultures at the top of a tree “the ones with pink necks” I say. The birds’ necks are feather-free to stop them getting covered in blood and core as they eat corpses. “Vultures are known as coprophages,” Malcolm corrects me “because they eat turds!”

Driving through Kiko tea estate, outside Fort Portal, thousands of grasshoppers float above the bright green tea bushes like a layer of green mist. The emergence of grasshoppers floats above the tea and up into the air.

A troupe of eight black and white Colobus Monkeys sit at the top of a tree in a clearing next to the tea plantation. I’m surprised to see them in such an open area. “They do very well in disturbed forest,” Julia – the primatologist – tells us.

We are travelling to Kanyanchu where Julia’s land touches Kibale Forest. For many years she lived in a treehouse in the middle of the forest while she followed, studied and habituated the chimpanzees that are now so popular with tourists.

Malcolm grabs his binoculars to take a closer look at large flocks of Abdim Storks that are circling high in the air, to our left and to our right. “Must be thousands of them,” he says.

According to Fanshawe and Stevenson’s The Birds of East Africa (the best book for identifying Uganda’s birds), Abdim Storks are “nomadic and gregarious.” They are seen in Uganda between October and November as they follow “the rains and burns” on their flight from northern Africa. They are known as “opportunistic” feeders and are undoubtedly making the most of the grasshopper season.

Abdim’s Stork in flight, Tanzania. PHOTO Jonathan Rossouw
Abdim’s Stork in flight, Tanzania. PHOTO Jonathan Rossouw

We talk about migration and Malcolm explains how birds use thermals to cover vast distances. “You will notice that vultures are never in the air at the start or the end of the day. They need the hot air rising off the land to allow them to climb high. Vultures can go up 1 or 2 km and then slowly guide for 400 miles. Doing this, they expend very little energy.”

He tells us about a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture that was seen 12 km above the surface of the earth by a commercial pilot. Vultures have incredible eyesight and watch each other from up on high. I like hanging out with Malcolm Wilson. He is an expert ornithologist and ringer or ‘bander,’ at the very top of his game, and revered by many birders in Uganda. Not only can Malcolm identify a bird, he has a mine of fascinating facts to explain what we’re looking at. “A vulture only drops for one reason: a kill. When one drops out of the sky, the others follow.” Read about his ringing expeditions and bird watching tours across Africa on his web site.

Tooro Botanical Gardens Fort Portal
It’s fun buying plants at Tooro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal

At Tooro Botanical Gardens, a young man called John guides us through the various plants, telling us both the English names and the Latin names. With John’s help, Malcolm and Julia pick out a selection of tree seedlings. Julia and I share a moment of realisation. Julia has been wanting to invite Malcolm to advise her on which plants and trees will help develop her land for birding tourism. Finally we are here. This weekend has been many years in the planning. I am so excited to be part of it.

There is a small fishpond in Tooro Botanical Gardens. It hasn’t been stocked with fish yet but there’s already a heron inspecting it. Julia correctly identifies it as a Black-headed Heron. The girl’s birding knowledge is coming on!

new road through Kibale Forest. walking cows
Walking cows along the new road through Kibale Forest

We drive on the new road through Kibale. The Chinese (of course) construction company have been working on it for a couple of years. It’s a good road in many respects but too wide. We bemoan how big and fast the road is. It passes directly through Kibale National Park, described as having “the highest concentration and density of primates in Africa.” We are worried how many of the forest’s animals will be killed by speeding motorists. There are a few road humps but nowhere near enough. We hope and pray that the speed humps will proliferate.

Our car passes through a troop of baboons. One stands on its two back legs to peer into the car looking for food.

I am appalled to see that one of them has had its whole snout (large pointed nose and lips) are missing. Its normally 3D face is flat. His front teeth are permanently visible but beyond this appalling wound, the animal looks healthy enough. Will he survive?

Another baboon, in the bush above the verge, picks at something that it holds in its right paw. It appears to be an animal skin. The baboon pulls the last bits of flesh off some skin “it’s most likely a vervet monkey,” Malcolm says.

tree cutting Sunbird Hill, Kibale with Malcolm Wilson
Can you spot them? Innocent gets a lesson in tree cutting from Malcolm Wilson at Sunbird Hill, Kibale

At our final destination, Sunbird Hill, Malcolm teaches us all about tree felling and the best plants to attract more birds to the forest edge. It’s an enlightening few days.

If you enjoy my insect stories, read Grasshoppers – nsenene: eat them or smoke them? Discuss.

Why orphanage tours are wrong

Children aren’t tourist attractions. Why orphanage tours are wrong

volunteer travel

The good the bad and the ugly of volunteer travel. Photo Gates Foundation

Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Mark Riley, Co-Founder of Alternative Care Initiatives, an organisation working with the Ugandan government and others on child welfare reforms in Uganda and East Africa. In this article, Mark argues that there are many ways we can help vulnerable children but orphanage tours are not one of them. He asks that we all carefully consider whether a day tour to an orphanage or volunteering with orphans is really the best way to support these children.

Why orphanage tours should not be on a tourist itinerary

On the face of it, you would think that volunteering in an orphanage is a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone involved. On one hand, volunteers can do something they feel is making a positive impact and experience something completely different to their own world, while the children are nursed, cuddled and cared for by a volunteer. The tour operator, by linking the two together, delivers a package that everyone is happy with. So, what could be wrong with that?

orphanage tours Uganda

Think before you visit or volunteer at an orphanage… is there a better way you can support these children?

It does not take much research to understand the way in which volunteering in orphanages can often have devastating and long-term effects on the children.

Research on the subject is overwhelming and various studies support this conclusion. A report by Better Care Network demonstrates that children living in institutions do not always receive high quality interaction when they most need it and, as a result, are at much higher risk of long-term developmental vulnerabilities. Also, there is evidence that children growing up in institutions do not manifest these development handicaps until adulthood when they try to integrate within society. As these children pass into adulthood and become independent (often with difficulty) they look at their peers who have been brought up in communities and realise their sense of loss and disconnection.

Orphanages, orphanage tourism and volunteering: the case of East Africa

In East Africa, there are situations where orphanages exist solely to provide a volunteering and mission experience. Additionally, although reunification, foster care and domestic adoption are on the rise across East Africa, orphanages that offer voluntourism packages have little or no incentive to reunify children under their care with their families or find family-based alternatives while volunteering and mission trips exist, since volunteers and mission trips would be redundant if the orphanages were empty!

“… Not only does [volunteering] encourage the expansion of residential care centres, but it also makes children [more] vulnerable to abuse.”

Where are the children’s voices?

Often the voices that are unheard in this debate are of the children who experience volunteers and mission trips while they are in orphanages. In comparison to the reportage or blogs of volunteers, there is minimal record of the experience of the children they visit.

In 2016, Stephen Ucembe, founder of Kenyan Care Leavers, wrote very eloquently about growing up in a Kenyan orphanage and the negative impact that volunteers and mission trips had on his childhood.

“Dressed in a uniform of blue shorts and yellow and blue t-shirts branded with the name of the orphanage, we were gathered under a tree for shade, standing at the centre of the institution to wait for the visitors.  We never called them volunteers then, but visitors..[…]

The institution staff had taught us a routine. They paraded us, and as soon as the visitors arrived in tour vans we had to exude joy. Indeed, we jumped up and down, and raptured in unison with song and dance that welcomed them.

We knew that the only way to ensure they came back again to help the institution was by how much they smiled at our entertainment, and by the tears, sadness or sympathy that came when they were told that we were “orphans”.  I remember the senior staff on duty standing at the centre of a circle of volunteers pronouncing how some of us had been abandoned by their parents, how others had been picked from the streets and others rejected by families.

Silently I felt sad and miserable to have people gawk at me and have cameras flashing at our faces. Most of the volunteers were taken round the institution to see where we slept, where our food was cooked, and told of upcoming projects. Some committed to help, and others gave a one off donation. Some of these encounters were brief, they pulled down their sunglasses, walked back to the vans and from the vehicles they waved us goodbye. At this point some of us had gotten used to their coming and going, but others not – especially the younger ones: tears knocked at their eyelids. They tried not to cry in an environment where crying was almost taboo. This practice with visitors had become a routine that made many of us feel even more alienated, isolated, stigmatized, helpless, hopeless, and weak.”

Although Stephen’s account should have been a wake-up call for the tourism industry, this was not so. In fact, one global tour operator that offers ‘orphanage volunteering’ asked for Stephen’s personal testimony to be removed from the website. This demonstrates that some orphanages, especially those that offer voluntourism, are money-making ventures with the tourists deemed more important than the voice of individuals like Stephen and those he speaks for.

Alternative Care Initiatives, a Ugandan NGO, has a Care Leavers programme, which  has engaged with over 100 young people who have lived in various care facilities in Uganda. They have made some startling findings with regards to volunteering and mission trips. Morris, a member of the Care Leavers’ team, grew up in what many consider a ‘good’ orphanage in Jinja. Although the orphanage was well funded and Morris was well fed, attended a good school and did not personally experience the levels of abuse and neglect that many others report, Morris still believes that not enough was done to support him and his siblings to remain in their community. This lack of support, Morris believes, contributed to the fractured relationship he has with members of his extended family. In retrospect, he feels that the constant flow of Western mission trips and volunteers, while exciting at first, distorted his view of foreigners and of the world. The constant thread of the experiences of children who grew up in the orphanage is that the foreigners came with gifts and kindness, and then left as quickly as they came, which left then bereft and with a twisted view of the world.

Children Ongako Gulu

Children in Ongako sub-county, Gulu, Uganda. PHOTO Jan Sharp

Morris avers that some of the people he knew in care, especially those growing up in children’s villages, were neither Ugandans nor Westerners and therefore always felt like ‘hybrids’.  They witnessed and experienced much of Western culture but cannot attain or reach it. Likewise, they don’t really feel Ugandan. The idea of going to the village and helping communities ‘dig’, which is what most Ugandans from rural communities do, is appalling to them. It’s just not what they signed up for. Thus the orphanage system is creating long-term problems and disenfranchising people from their communities and roots.

These anecdotes demonstrate how volunteers and mission trips can have devastating and long-term impact on children and require a change of mind-set as well as the rigorous enforcement of child protection policies. The UN Guidelines on Alternative Care prioritise family strengthening and family-based care over institutional care, and are now widely accepted and incorporated into national policies and frameworks. Visiting orphanages is not only negative for the children but also against global, regional and country-specific polices and laws.  It is encouraging that Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, are fully embracing family-based care and recognising that orphanages are not a part of the long-term, child protection system. However, authorities in all the countries need to do more.

why orphanage tourism is wrong. orphanage tours

Anna McKeon:”I volunteered at an orphanage and now I campaign against it.” Click here to read the personal account of an inexperienced international volunteer in orphanages in Thailand and Kenya. She shares the top five lessons she learned about volunteering and why it is harmful to volunteer in childcare institutions #StopOrphanTrips

Although this sort of volunteering in orphanages is declining globally, voluntourism and mission trips still play a central role in sustaining orphanages in East Africa and this will continue to negatively affect the wider child protection system. Consequently, there is need for tourism stakeholders to promote alternative voluntourism packages. Government agencies should enforce child protection policies and ensure orphanages adhere to national laws as well as global best practices, which will minimise the exposure of children, especially vulnerable ones, to social, cognitive, physical and psychological harm.

How can the tourism industry help?

East Africa has some of the world’s most amazing people, wildlife and landscapes and a visitor to this region never leaves disappointed. However, children should not be offered as a part of the tour itinerary. There is an abundance of satisfying activities which do not include visiting and sustaining orphanages and the damage that comes with such visits. Interested visitors who want an authentic holiday experience can take advantage of homestays or consider skills-based voluntourism in various sectors. This is not to suggest that tourists and other initiatives should not help children and the community – rather help in the right way.

DON’T

  1. – Even if an orphanage says it is government-approved, don’t visit.
  2. – Don’t put orphanage tours on your itineraries.
  3. – Do not attend orphan dance shows. They do not give vulnerable children the care they need.
  4. – Volunteers should not work directly with children.

Volunteering with children may feel good but could be harmful. There are some better ways to help them.

Ugandan schoolchildren

A group of curious Ugandan children peer in the classroom of a village school

DO

  1. – If tourists want to meet local children and young people, this should be arranged through schools, churches and communities.
  2. – Visitors can ask how they can share their professional skills with the local staff who care for these children.
  3. – The placement of volunteer (professionally qualified) medical or childcare experts in orphanages may be acceptable with a medium or long-term commitment.
  4. – Tourism industry professionals and tourists who are interested in supporting children may wish to donate to support the work of the organisations listed below.
  5. – Please share and discuss the messages discussed in this article.

References and further reading

Mark Riley, Alternative Care Initiatives “Volunteers are fuelling the growth of orphanages in Uganda. They need to stop.”

Better Care Network. (2014). Better volunteering, better care

Fox, N., Almas, A., Degnan, K., Nelson, C., & Zeanah, C. (2011). The effects of severe psychosocial deprivation and foster care intervention on cognitive development at 8 years of age: findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry: 52(9), 919­928.

United Nations. (2010). Resolution 64/ 142: Guidelines for the alternative care of children. UN: New York.

You can follow #StopOrphanTrips to read more research, advice and personal testimonies.

To contact Mark Riley directly tel +256 (0) 7842 50921 or email mark.riley@alternative-care-initiatives.org

This is a summary of an article that was first published in the East Africa Sustainable Tourism Report Issue 6, 2017. Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda – STTA

The Muzungu: thanks Mark for sharing your insights. I remember watching an orphan dance once and wondering why the kids looked so uninterested in us. I thought they would be happy to see us. Now I understand how many times visitors have come and gone in their young lives, and how that must affect them. 

If the issue of orphans and young children interests you, read a related guest post Ugandans Adopt – “Why I do what I do.”

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.

Chinese tourism in Uganda – opportunity or threat?

Chinese in Uganda: tourism opportunities and conservation threats

Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Sandra Rwese, a brilliant Ugandan entrepreneur who I first heard speak at a Nature Uganda public talk in Kampala. Sandra gave us an introduction to Chinese culture, the opportunities – and threats – that this new market poses to tourism and conservation in Uganda. Her insights are fascinating!

Sandra Rwese Chinese tourism Uganda marketing expert

Sandra Rwese, Chinese tourism in Uganda marketing expert

Sandra Rwese is a bilingual tourism expert with many years research experience in China’s outbound tourism landscape. In 2012 she won the Silver Prize for Product Innovation during the prestigious CTW Awards in Beijing. She writes:

“Travel is my religion, and Asia is one of the most fascinating places l happened to explore during my many travels. Having spent time living and studying in mainland China and Hong Kong, l decided to relocate back to Kampala in 2014. I saw a niche in Sino-Africa travel connections and immediately went about launching my tourism consulting firm Gulu & Hirst (G&H).

It took infinite persistence trying to market my advisory services in Uganda – in a country where CEOs prefer to wait until the absolute last minute before reacting to fresh business ideas. I remember once waiting three hours in a reception hall for a brief chance to meet one leading tourism stakeholder. Such is the journey towards promoting China’s USD 422 billion consumer potential to Uganda’s tourism fraternity.

Part of my consulting includes pushing for ecological conservation and, with each public lecture or sales training session, l never miss an opportunity to caution my audiences on the environmental ramifications of mass travel from China. Yes the Chinese have big money to spend overseas, lots of it. But their high propensity for eating arthropods and game meat could come at a higher cost to Uganda’s plant and animal species than we imagined. We simply cannot afford mass Chinese arrivals in groups as large as 200 per flight.

Chinese Officials Seize Record-Breaking Pangolin Haul From Poachers. A pangolin carries its baby, Bali zoo, Indonesia (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

HEADLINE December 2016: Chinese Officials Seize Record-Breaking Pangolin Haul From Poachers. PHOTO: A pangolin carries its baby at a Bali zoo, Indonesia (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

 

confiscated-pangolin-scales-shanghai-roxkzor9i02jtfbiebbp

Customs officers stand guard over seized pangolin scales at a port in Shanghai (Photo: AFP/CCTV)

Chinese tourists are fearless and have gained ill-repute in almost every country so far. Nothing is off limits. Not even rampant trafficking of cheetah hides, donkey meat, lion bones, ivory, sandalwood, albino crocodiles, butterflies, pangolins, sea turtles, and rare national treasures. In my analysis, Uganda’s only hope in upholding species protection rights is by forming legally binding partnerships with travel agents and institutions sending visitors from China. So that their groups are fewer and contained.

New Zealand is doing just that i.e. partnering with travel agents, universities, and FITs (Free Independent Travelers) in China to bring controlled tour groups. This closes the loop on traffickers who often sneak in on individual tourist visas. I see a win-win situation for Uganda if only this matter is taken as a matter of urgency; especially with new waves of Chinese migrants setting up tour companies right here and ferrying in travellers whose origins are anyone’s guess.

Sandra Rwese Chinese tourism Uganda

Sandra Rwese and a Chinese colleague. Sandra is an expert in marketing Chinese tourism to Uganda

The second strategy would be to use Chinese social media campaigns to promote responsible tourism. Community outreach is critical and netizens must be alerted to Uganda’ laws against poaching and wildlife plunder. G&H is moving in this very direction towards RenRen, Sina Weibo, WeChat, Qzone and other popular social apps to convey Uganda’s conservation mantra to the 136 million Chinese planning annual trips abroad. We can successfully build #BrandUganda on such social platforms within China by spreading the message that “Uganda is not for sale.”

Thank you Sandra for some illuminating words and practical advice about the Chinese in Uganda and Africa.

Listen to Sandra being interviewed by Eric Olander on The China Africa Project debating the question

“Chinese tourist arrivals in Africa are up, so why aren’t African travel companies more excited?”

Click on the green button below.


Follow Sandra Rwese on Twitter.

Like Sandra’s Welcoming Chinese Tourists Facebook page.

Connect with Sandra Rwese on LinkedIn.

On The Ball – inspiring Ugandan kids through football

youth football, Kampala. On The Ball Uganda

Karol chats football with one of the On The Ball kids

Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Irish football coach Karol Gallagher, who I first met at the Kabaka’s Birthday Hash Run at Bulange in 2013. Since then I have watched with interest as Karol has followed his passion to develop young players’ confidence through playing football. Hats off to you Karol for On The Ball – what a brilliant project! I know how much you’ve put into this.

Karol (pronounced Karl) Gallagher is a football youth coach, certified by the Irish Football Association and is Director of On The Ball Limited, a non-profit organisation incorporated in Uganda. On The Ball’s objectives are to equip coaches, inspire kids and assist in the development of sports (football). (The Muzungu: How cool is that?)

On The Ball Uganda, logo

On The Ball Uganda, logo

Karol writes:

In 2009, I launched a grassroots community football initiative in Uganda, titled On The Ball (OTB). The objective of On The Ball is to serve as a peace-building integration project, promoting social change and community cohesion by bringing together typically segregated ethnic groups through the positive experience of a sporting team tournament. The project grew rapidly, and On The Ball received a Social Entrepreneurship Award from UnLtd, an English-based organisation that provides funding for individuals seeking to develop projects that benefit their community. On The Ball has also received the RESPECT Campaign endorsement from UEFA and is compliant with the Irish Football Association’s Football For All mandate.

Things really kicked off in December 2012 when I travelled to Uganda to visit family. After two weeks I had met with local coaches and formed a team. A week later, we organised a one day youth tournament, bringing 240 orphans/street kids from five neighbouring deprived / slum areas. The success of the event, and its positive impact, made me realise there was more work to be done.

Football practice with On The Ball

Football practice with On The Ball

In January 2013 OTB organised another successful gala football competition event in Mulago community, bringing together over 500 youths from neighbouring disadvantaged areas of Kampala.

Thanks to grant funding from Irish Aid, On The Ball is growing, making a social impact within deprived areas of Kampala.

Since living in Uganda I have formed new friendships, set up a team of coaches, supported orphanages, coached kids, organised gala events and football workshops, created links with teams to Ireland, presented gifts – the list goes on.

youth football, Kampala. On The Ball Uganda

On The Ball

Spending a lot of time on the ground with the people of Uganda and the On The Ball team, I gathered a lot of evidence and identified where the needs are. We see how organised, well-managed sporting activities can be a positive step forward in pathway to employment, education and empowerment of youths. Sport can be used as a vehicle to sustain peace and lower crime, through healthy competition and educational achievement.

youth football, Kampala. On The Ball Uganda

Football practice with On The Ball. Karol talks strategy with the new players

At On The Ball – inspiring Ugandan kids through football, we believe that:

  • – the link between community development and social development is activated through the engagement of sports.
  • – academic performance is improved through sporting activity.
  • – an active student environment enhances learning ability.
  • – the benefits of an integrated sports programme within schools and community, linked to existing clubs.
  • – fostering good working relationships within educational environments that are academically strong but lack in the area of physical health and wellness.

youth football, Kampala. On The Ball Uganda

Karol hands a pair of football boots to one of the On The Ball players

On The Ball Uganda supports the existing development structures and framework within Uganda but can also identify areas that are lacking and will act as a link between community development and social development. Having gained support from Irish Aid, Uganda Olympic Federation and the Irish Football Association, On The Ball will continue to build its partner database at a district, regional, national and international level.

It has been an honour to share with you a summary of my work and my journey, and I warmly welcome your reply. Karol Gallagher.

For anyone wishing to donate to On The Ball please click here.

The Muzungu: thanks Karol for sharing your story. Your project rocks! I wish you all the success in the future. You can connect with Karol on the On The Ball Facebook page

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.