Popular destinations in Uganda
There are a lot of incredible destinations in Uganda, they include destinations like:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to see the gorillas
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Source of the Nile
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Rwenzori Mountains National Park
- Mt Elgon National Park
- Kidepo Valley National Park
- Kibale Forest National Park
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Lake Mburo National Park
Book your cheap flight to Entebbe in Uganda with Tripindigo, a great starting point for your holiday.
Short history of Uganda
Uganda gained independence in 1962, but soon afterwards (in 1966) the first prime minister Obote arranged a coup and the king was ousted. The Ugandan monarchy was abolished and he declared himself president. His army chief of staff, Idi Amin, who stormed the palace for Obote later turned on him and staged a coup in 1971 when Obote was out of the country for a meeting. This was the start of Uganda’s nightmare.
Many Ugandans lost their lives in the coming years, especially people from the Acholi and Lango tribes. It is estimated around 300,000 people in 8 years were murdered. The Asian community was told to leave and property was nationalised without compensation. The country was in ruins.
In 1978 Amin started a war with Tanzania. Although at first he was met with no resistance the then Tanzanian president Nyerere eventually managed to get his army together and fight the Ugandans. The Tanzanian army was joined by the many Ugandan liberation groups and together they managed to defeat Amin in 1979.
Unfortunately the nightmare continued when Obote returned to power in what many see as a rigged election in 1981. He continued the destruction of Uganda whilst mass graves of the Amin period were unearthed, the press expelled, and the prisons filling with political opponents.
Another coup was held in 1985 by the army yet again, this time under the command of Tito Okello. But in the meantime, a guerrilla force under the command of Museveni was growing in the west. This was a highly disciplined group who wanted to rid the country of corruption and those responsible for the atrocities brought to trial. In 1986 the guerrillas of the National Resistance Army (NRA) succeeded and Okello’s troops fled.
The nightmare for the Ugandan people had finally ended and under Museveni’s rule the country was prospering. In the 90’s Uganda was the fastest growing economy in Africa and even the Asians were invited back and property was returned.
In the north however, one rebel group didn’t join the peace deals and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) under Joseph Kony continued the nightmare for those living there. He switched from attacking soldiers to civilians and many were murdered, mutilated, raped, and tortured. Children were abducted to become child soldiers or sex slaves and many walked each night to ‘safer’ towns to sleep. In 2008 a peace deal was finally reached with the LRA but Kony refused to sign and people in the north remain scared to return home.
In 1996 elections without political parties were held and Museveni won with 75% of the votes. And even though corruption scandals have blemished the government, Museveni has remained clean and popular. He was re-elected in 2001, but unfortunately made changes to the constitution so the two-term limit was removed. He won in the 2006 elections as well as in 2011 and 2016 and he continues in power today.