9th October: Uganda Independence Day

Uganda became Independent from the UK on this date in 1962.

1. Uganda got its name from the kingdom of Buganda which covered the south of present day Uganda. This name means “bundles”.
2. The capital city, Kampala, was originally a hunting reserve which was home to several species of antelope, particularly impala. When the British arrived, they called it "Hills of the Impala".
3. Uganda has a very young population. With a median age of 15 years, it is the lowest median age in the world. Nearly half of the population is under the age of 15.
4. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is home to approximately half of the world's population of Mountain Gorillas.
5. Women's clothing is conservative. Skimpy clothing is frowned upon, and in Uganda, a skirt that doesn't reach the ankles is deemed to be skimpy.
6. English, inherited from the colonial period, and Swahili are the official languages.
7. On the Flag, the horizontal bands of Black at the top represent the African people, Yellow represents sunshine and vitality and red represents African brotherhood. The crested crane is the national bird.
8. There is a law in Uganda which says that if you cut down a tree you must plant three more.
9. Uganda's lowest point is Lake Albert at 620 metres (2,030 ft), and the highest point is Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,111 metres (16,768 ft).
10. Ugandan athlete John Akii-Bua invented the victory lap. After winning gold in the 400m at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games – the first time an African had won gold in an event under 800m – a spectator handed him a Ugandan flag. He was so overwhelmed with joy he ran around the track waving it, starting a new sporting tradition.

My Books

As well as this blog, I also write fiction and have published two novels (Death and Faxes and Glastonbury Swan) and a collection of short stories (Jigsaw). If you like ghost stories, crime stories, a bit of romance and anything slightly bizarre you might enjoy them. 

Further details on my books page