Uganda
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi Amin (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some suspected 300,000 political opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton Obote (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives. During the 1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.
Since the late 1980s Uganda has rebounded from the abyss of civil war and economic catastrophe to become a model of relative peace and stability. When his party was defeated in elections that he said had been rigged, he formed the National Resistance Army that brought him to power in 1986. Museveni was returned to office in 1996 in Uganda's first direct presidential election, and was re-elected in 2001. Parliament has voted to abolish the constitutional limit on presidential terms, allowing Museveni to seek re-election in March 2006. Critics say he intends to become president for life. The 2006 poll will be the first to be contested by opposition parties in almost two decades.
Museveni has introduced Western-backed reforms. These produced significant growth and a precipitous drop in inflation. He has come under criticism, however, for Uganda's military intervention (along with five other countries) in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1998-2003). Kinshasa still accuses Uganda of maintaining its influence in the mineral-rich east of the country. Uganda says that the DRC government has failed to disarm Ugandan rebels on its soil, and periodically raises tensions by proposing to re-deploy in the DRC to pursue rebels -- as it has done in Sudan, with Khartoum's permission. On Ugandan territory, however, military action and tentative peace talks have not halted massacres perpetrated by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army against civilians in the north. The violence has displaced more than 1.6 million people and tens of thousands have been killed or kidnapped over nearly two decades.
Uganda has won praise for its active campaign against HIV/Aids. This has helped to reduce the prevalence of the virus - which reached 30% in the 1990s - to single-digit figures.
While there are no known specific threats to travelers to or expatriate residents in Uganda, insurgent groups, originating both within and outside of Uganda, particularly in northern and western Uganda have at times specifically targeted expatriates. These groups have engaged in murder, armed attacks, kidnapping and the placement of land mines. Incidents occur at random with little or no warning. Numerous incidents of banditry and armed robbery have occurred in the northern and western districts of Uganda. Rebel activities do not affect daily life in Kampala.
The November 2002 attacks on Israeli targets near Mombasa, Kenya highlighted concerns about ongoing activity by al-Qaida operatives in East Africa. The U.S. embassy in Kampala was the target of an attempted bombing by Islamic militants in 1998, such as took place at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Ugandan security officers foiled the planned attack against the Kampala mission, arresting suspects who were en route.
In 1998, however, a number of bombings took place at roadside restaurants and cafés frequented both by foreign nationals and Ugandans. There were also several bombings in March 2001 at various public places in Kampala. These may have been the work of rebel groups, but there was no clear pattern of targets. The U.S. embassy advises Americans, as a general rule, to be alert at public facilities such as bars, restaurants, hotels, and markets, or on public transportation.
Tourists who remain in the gorilla parks overnight are at potential risk. While security has improved in all national parks since the 1999 attack in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest that claimed the lives of foreign tourists, the proximity of Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks to the border and the continuing instability in Congo make these parks potentially vulnerable to Congolese rebel groups
Demonstrations, mainly peaceful, occur regularly. Protesters commonly rally in a public spot such as Constitutional Square in downtown Kampala, then proceed to the administrative building housing the authority that can address their grievance, to deliver a petition. Demonstrations can become violent, however, sparking stoning of vehicles, looting and other opportunistic crime. The police response can be brutal, whether in the city center or in residential areas; officers do not hesitate to fire automatic weapons to quell violence. Stay abreast of local news and avoid all demonstrations.
