Visiting Uganda

In July and August I visited Uganda on business. This was the most interesting trip this year. I spent most of the days in a 4x4 vehicle. The distances between the places I was visiting are long and the terrain is rough in many parts.

In my trip I visited the North, west East and Central areas. I spent a day in Gulu in the North. Gulu is a commercial town. It is beautiful and the town is built up compared to other towns in the area. A number of people living there have been displaced during the fighting between the government troops and the Lord’s Resistance Army. We tried to take pictures and almost got our heads taken off. We later discovered that some people feel that their pictures could be used to identify if they participated in any anti government activities. There is a tension here and lack of trust of outsiders by some people. On the other hand I found some people very welcoming and open.

The next place I visited was Apac (pronounced Apache) also in the North. The countryside here is great and the environment is amazing. The people are amazing. The challenge here for me was food. You have to order you supper in advance as the place we were staying in does not cook dinner even though they serve a meagre breakfast (fatcake and tea). Most of the food you get from many places is always accompanied by meat, chicken, beans or fish.


One day after having lunch, pondering the idea of having supper elsewhere, we saw someone carrying a bowl of food. We asked where it had been purchased, we were shown the place. The fellow, Ali, told us that he makes pork, chicken and fish. I ordered chicken and chips and my colleagues ordered pork and chips. We advised him to deliver at the place we were staying in at 19h30. The time came and no Ali. We went looking for him and he was nowhere. We started getting worried as we had paid him deposit. He eventually showed up and we were so greatful and we dived into the food. As we were eating I noticed that the chips were very big and I commented that the potatoes must have been very big. We were in such a big hurry, as we were late for an appointment at the local radio station, that we did not see anything unusual. As I was pushing the chips into my mouth I noticed that they were dry. On the third one it dawned to me that something was not right.

I put the chip up to the light (the room was not well lit) and realised that the chip had a small thread. On a closer look I realised this was cassava. ‘Ali, I said, these are not chips’. Ali said these were the chips we ordered. The others started looking at the chips and we all had a good laugh. In the North you have to be specific: Irish potato chips or you will get something else. And when you want potatoes you also have to be clear because sweet potatoes are called potatoes and they are common that potatoes (Irish).

I eat bananas. In South Africa we have many of these and they are always available throughout the year. They are grown mostly in the coastal provinces especially the Wild Coast and KZN. They are also found in Mpumalanga. What I saw in Uganda is something else. Firstly there are different types of bananas– I saw at least six types. Everywhere you go in Uganda there are banana trees. People plant them to for subsistence and to sell. I have never seen so many bananas. They cook them, grill them, fry the and even make wine with them. This was all new to me.