Uganda, the Pearl of Africa: Facts Behind this Assertion

Uganda is situated in East Africa and is popularly known as the pearl of Africa a.k.a the Matooke Republic. Britain’s World war II prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill visited Uganda in 1907 and saw the wonders of this place first hand. He was attracted to the magnificent scenery (landscape), wildlife and friendly natives (culture) to the extent that he got thinking of a name to give this beautiful place. This was the norm then of foreigners who traveled to Africa and wanted to leave a mark that they were the first people to ‘discover’ places in Africa. Sir Winston Churchill was however a colonial government agent seeking for territories to conquer. He settled for a name that suited his amazement, the “Pearl of Africa”. I believe that Uganda is still the pearl of Africa despite a few bottle necks the country faces in the 21st century. Here is why I say so and why you must see this places before you die!

Uganda got its name partly because of its stunning green valleys, and tall mountains. “Its high altitude gives it a cooler climate than other places on the equator which, for someone from chilly England would have been far more pleasant”, a quote from an online commentator on the beauty of Uganda. Mount Rwenzori happens to be the only snow-capped mountain along the equator and mountain climbing across the different vegetation types and terrain is a unique adventure that geographers, ice lovers and mountain climbers will revere. Other similar sites include Mt. Elgon, Mt. Moroto, the rolling hills and valleys of Kabaale as well as the prominent Block Disintegration processes of Kapir and Kachumbala Rocks in Eastern Uganda.

The beauty of this country is further enhanced by its numerous swamps, lakes, rivers, hot water springs, waterfalls, white water rafting sites (5th Grade) and numerous attractions. The Longest River in the world has its roots in Uganda. The Nile River stretches 6,853 km (4,258 miles) covering 12 Countries in Africa. The biggest Tropical Lake in the world - Lake Victoria, together with Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert, Lake Edward and several other smaller lakes as well as rivers, moderate the climate of this country to soothing levels. A visit to Lake Bunyonyi with its clear Blue waters will blow you away as shown in the picture below. it is also believed that lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and lake Malawi contain 30% of the worlds Fresh water. How blessed could one ever be to be born amidst this great endowment. And to cap it all, you can enjoy desert like conditions and get yourself tanned in Karamoja while you enjoy the abundance of wildlife and ‘Music’ made by Acacia tree fruits. You could join the Karimojong children to herd some sheep or cattle and learn the practices of pastoralism. While at it, you can easily come across Ostriches, Buffalos and other famous wild animals running around or grazing lazily in the vast semi-arid grasslands of Karamoja. It's all natural here as the pictures below communicate.

Talking about wildlife, Uganda has 10 national parks, 7 game reserves and around 30 national forest reserves where bird watching is the order of the day. Mountain Gorillas are famous in Uganda because 50% of the world’s population exists here with others in the neighboring Rwanda and Eastern Congo. A chance to interact with our closest relatives can only be done enjoyably in the peaceful Uganda while catching sight of the Africa’s Big Five and other rare wildlife species that include the tallest giraffe species in the world. Bird watchers can enjoy over 1,200 Bird species that have been officially recorded while others await identification and Naming. Samuka Island in Jinja hosts most of the birds running away from the unfriendly European Winter Season. You can easily catch a gathering of these birds as they breed home away from home. on your right is the rare Rwenzori Ruraco bird while the famous Crane needs no introduction. Let’s not forget the people of Uganda. Being the most ethnically diverse country in the world with over 50 tribes, Numerous Kingdoms and several languages, this small country is an experimental set up in itself for those who love anthropology. To note is the youngest king in the whole world, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV, the King of Toro Kingdom and the Batoro people. His palace in Fort Portal – Where the famous British governor Sir Gerald Portal had his base, is one to visit, not forgetting the Buganda Kingdom palace at Bulange and the Kasubi Tombs (Burial site for Buganda Kings) that once had the largest grass thatched house in the world. Numerous cultural practices like Dances, local drinks, marriage ceremonies, dressing code, values and norms have made Ugandans the Champions of happiness in East Africa for many years running despite the biting poverty among some households. These practices are however being threatened by the Western ways of life that young people are copying while shunning their own in the name of "Modernity".

It is believed and widely accepted that the first human beings lived in Africa. Some say it was Ethiopia, others say Egypt and South Africa. Uganda too has sites where the early man used to live. A visit to Nyero Rock paintings in Ngora District and other Rocks in Gulu may include Uganda in this debate.

I conclude this write up by mentioning about the delicacies that you should never miss while in Uganda. My best dish is Fresh Fish and Atapa – Tilapia fish and local bread. Dishes like Luwombo, Katogo, Matooke, Eboo, Malewa, Emuuna, Emagira, Malakwang, Molokony, Angara to name but a few will get you biting your tongue in the process of devouring the food. All these foods are 100% Organic – only 2% of farmers in Uganda use inorganic pesticides and fertilizers, mostly commercial farmers. Vegetarians will feel at home with a variety of vegetables like Cabbages, Nakati, Amaranthus,Onions, tomatoes, Kale, Eboo and so many others. Uganda on the other hand is the paradise of Fruits. Oranges, Apples, Mangoes, Water melons, Pawpaw’s, Passion Fruits, Pineapples, Bananas and all that comes to your mind are organically grown in Uganda all year round. It is rumoured that the best fruits in the world are from Uganda (Teso for Oranges and Kayunga for Pineapples) but I am still looking for justification to that allegation.

I implore my fellow Ugandans to let the world know what we can offer to them and invite them to enjoy Gods creation while it still lasts. We have a challenge at hand to ensure that our environmental resources are used sustainably and that we seek to replenish what we take out of the Eco-system. This includes everyone joining the fight against poaching and all ills associated with destruction of wildlife like setting wild fires, reclaiming swamps and cutting down forests. More than 62% of all Forest Elephants in Africa have been killed in the last 12 years by the greedy and their supporters around the world. To those who still love to enhance their beauty using animal products, please think again before you buy these items. What will the world look like if we wipe out all our natural resources from underground and on the surface of the earth???

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