Crosslinks Uganda facts

Uganda has long been known as the Pearl of Africa because of its fertile soils, beautiful scenery and pleasant climate. Most of the country is upland plateau, bordered in the south by Lake Victoria and the mountains of the Rwanda, in the west by lakes of the African Rift Valley and hills of the Mt Ruwenzori range, and in the north and north east by mountains and desert.

The two main tribal groups are the Bantu tribes in the south and the Nilotic tribes of the centre and north. The largest tribe is the Baganda, followed by the Nkole, Teso and Busoga. There are many smaller tribes, including the Karimojong who are related (by language) to the Teso who live in the north-cast of the country. Over 40 different languages are spoken, with about one person in ten able to speak English.

Kampala is the capital city with a population of about 750,000. Other main centres are Jinja, Masindi and Mbale.

Originally a collection of independent kingdoms, Uganda came under Arab and then British influence in the nineteenth century. In 1894 it became a British protectorate.
After independence in 1962, Uganda enjoyed five years of relative peace and prosperity until Prime Minister Milton Obote seized the Presidency, and dissolved the federal system of Government. He favoured his own Nilotic tribes. Anarchy increased until a military coup in 1971 brought Idi Amin to power. There followed nine years of increasingly despotic rule, which culminated in the invasion of Uganda by Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles.

Hopes were high for a return to peace and prosperity but intertribal rivalry and bloodshed continued after Obote was re-elected President in a controversial election in 1980. Obote was in turn removed by a military coup, staged by the Ugandan Resistance Movement under Yuweri Museveni. He eventually defeated the military government and Museveni assumed the Presidency.

Museveni has been able to impose a measure of stability on the country but politically its outlook remains uncertain. Today AIDS is a very big problem, particularly in some of the larger towns.

	Uganda	UK equivalent
Population	22 million	59 million
Area	241,040 sq km	245,000 sq km
Urban population	13 %	90 %
Life expectancy	53 years	75 years
Income per person	$330	$20,870
Christians % pop´n	89	68

Basically an agricultural country, Uganda exports large quantities of coffee, tea, tobacco and cotton. Lake Victoria is extensively fished. The main industrial developments are connected with the copper mining at Kilembe and the hydro-electric power stations at the Owen and Kabelega Falls.

However, the Amin years, the expulsion of the industrious Asian community, and the subsequent turmoil have had a devastating effect on the economy, with large areas of the country depopulated and much of the economic infrastructure in tatters. Matters are improving only slowly.

Four out of five Ugandans are at least nominally Christian. Missionary work began in 1876 when a small group of CMS missionaries set out to bring the Gospel to the Baganda tribe.

However, the early history of the Church was marked by intense rivalry between Anglican and Roman Catholic missionaries and their converts. Many Christians were martyred, including the first Anglican Bishop of Uganda, James Hannington. After British rule was established, missionary work was able to develop and relatively quickly both Protestant and Catholic churches appointed Ugandans to positions of leadership.

From 1929, in reaction to the slow spiritual decline of the Church, the East African Revival, which started in neighbouring Rwanda, spread rapidly. The revival stressed the need for repentance, spiritual renewal and open fellowship among Christians. Many of today's leaders have been deeply influenced by the movement.

The only tribes which have largely resisted the Gospel are those of the north-east, including the Karimojong. These tribes still follow their traditional religion with its emphasis on animal sacrifice and the spirits.

Crosslinks missionaries entered Uganda in 1929 and concentrated their work among the nomadic tribes of the northeast. Evangelism, Bible translation, education and medical care were part of that work, all of which has now been put under the charge of the national Church of Uganda. The Diocese of Karamoja continues to need missionaries to help in education, Bible teaching, development, and building administration. In this we share in fellowship with other missions, including the Reformed Mission League in the Netherlands Reformed Church. We also give grants and provide bursaries for theological education.