If you’re planning to move to the Pearl of Africa, you’re bound to fall in love with Ugandans’ infectious enthusiasm for life. In an InterNations survey of expats living in 191 countries, Uganda received the highest marks for friendliness.

Ugandans welcome people of all nationalities; it is an intrinsic part of their culture. The ability to speak English widely offers visitors a huge advantage but it’s the wonderful welcomes and smiles that make this place accessible. One of my first bits of advice from a fellow Brit was: “You’ll get used to Ugandans staring at you. Don’t be intimidated. Just smile and they will return the most dazzling smile.”

It’s true.

Ugandans love talking about Premier league football, politics and how much they drank the night before. Ugandans love to party. Conversely, Ugandans are also avid church (or mosque) goers and very ‘God-fearing.’

Read my most popular blog 50 reasons why I love Uganda.

Introducing Kampala, the capital of Uganda

Set on the edge of Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake, Kampala is named after the Impala, who were once abundant on the city’s historic Seven Hills. These days the city covers more than twenty hills and, to see an Impala, you now have to travel to Lake Mburo National Park, three hours to the west.

Kampala nightlife is legendary across the region and the city is a great place to work, network and socialise. The expat community is welcoming and diverse. There is a great range of clubs, activities and restaurants.

Kampala is a great base for weekends away on safari, white water rafting or just chilling at a lodge with a wonderful view. Heavy traffic, sometimes potholed roads and bad drivers are some of the downsides to life in Kampala. When it’s hot, tempers fray!

“Muzungu how are you?” Life as an expat in Uganda

Expats can’t escape being called “Muzungu,” meaning lost or confused (from the Swahili). Apparently this is how the first white people looked when we first arrived in East Africa. Read the full definition here What is a Muzungu?

“Bazungu” (plural) and white people generally are made to feel welcome, thanks to the good work of the European doctors, teachers and missionaries of the nineteenth century. In Uganda, knowing a white person is perceived to be a good thing, as we arrive with the possible offers of jobs, sponsorship and connections. Expats do get regular requests for work, school fees, the ubiquitous ‘sponsorship’ and occasionally cash. Ugandans are very polite so will ask nicely. It’s okay to say no.

My blog Are muzungus all rich? is one of my most popular reads.

Expat conversations often revolve around complaints about the potholed roads, the naughty traffic policemen, and being overcharged for things on the street. It’s unavoidable: as a Muzungu, you are perceived to have money, even when you feel you are penniless.

What language do you speak in Uganda?

Uganda is home to 56 ethnic groups and their languages. Luganda is the language of the Ganda people of Buganda, mostly resident in Greater Kampala. This is the language you will hear spoken most often in Kampala. The lingua franca of Uganda is English. (Phew – I’m in luck!)

More important than the language you speak is the manner in which you greet people. Greetings are hugely important in building relationships, as is the time to acknowledge people, particularly those of status. Take the time to say “How are you?” even if you are in a hurry.

It is quite common to start a meeting with a prayer (so have a couple of lines ready!) Equally, it is common for expat visitors to be asked to make an impromptu speech at a meeting. You may be invited to a number of weddings as the guest of honour! Be prepared to sit. And sit. (At the last wedding reception I attended, I sat through four hours of speeches in local language before the alcohol appeared. Meaning? Ugandan weddings are quite different to British ones!)

What’s the weather like in Uganda?

Uganda’s position on the Equator means we benefit from an unbelievably beautiful climate; most days are sunny with blue skies. Even when it does rain, the sun quickly dries up the puddles.

Southern Uganda, and borders of Lake Victoria, are generally wetter, with rains generally spread throughout the year. Here most rain falls from March to June and during the shorter rainy seasons of November and December. The effects of climate change mean seasons have become blurred but you can normally look out of the window and decide whether you need to take an umbrella to work that day. Sunshine is never very far away. Think UK – but the opposite!

The country comes to a halt when it rains, and everybody hides inside. After the rain stops, expect mega-traffic jams. Kampala is a busy and often chaotic city especially if you’re rushing to a meeting and get stuck in traffic for an hour. Have a good car radio, always have airtime on your phone and have a newspaper to hand so you don’t feel you’re wasting those precious minutes. Even better, get someone else to drive or work from home. It’s a good idea to live near where you work or agree to work from home sometimes.

Driving in Kampala – not for the nervous is a tongue-in-cheek blog by a fellow expat.

Uber launched in Kampala to the ire of the overpriced taxi drivers and the boda boda (motorbike) drivers. I had always found “private hire” taxis in Kampala too expensive but Uber, Bolt, Lolo and SafeCar charge a third of what traditional taxi drivers charge. Uber Uganda also has bodas on their app but SafeBoda is by far the best option in 2024. Since the pandemic, many of the drivers on the ride hailing apps are overcharging. In my experience, SafeBoda is the most transparent (and cheapest) way to travel across town. However, a car ride is always going to be the safest transport option.

Read How to ride a boda boda before you jump on that motorbike!

Healthcare in Uganda. Beware the Travellers’ Health Book! Tropical disease diary

The provision of healthcare can be hit and miss. Local clinics and pharmacies can offer you the best advice on tropical medicine, but beware out of date drugs.

Regular health check-ups are advised, particularly for bilharzia (which you may catch in Lake Victoria or the River Nile). Beware of malaria (we don’t all have the same symptoms). Expats usually buy private health insurance which is not particularly expensive.

Read my Uganda travel advice I ignored including How to avoid Malaria and How to avoid Bilharzia. Need expert tropical medicine advice for you and your family? Follow my “Ask the Doc” series for interviews with Dr Natalie Prevatt.

What’s on in Kampala?

Kampala is developing at breakneck pace – and there’s always plenty (too much!) to do. Many expats rely on word of mouth recommendations from friends and colleagues. Online information is slowly improving, particularly through Facebook and WhatsApp groups. I promote festivals and other events on my Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page. X (Twitter) is a good place to find out what’s on too.

There are many ways to meet fellow expats in Kampala. You will quickly find familiar faces. Generally, expats and Ugandans mix easily, but sometimes you just need to talk someone from back home who ‘gets you’ without having to navigate the cultural differences. Kampala has the friendliness of the village, but village life can be a bit oppressive sometimes. Wherever you go, you will bump into people you know – even upcountry!

The overwhelming majority of visitors to Uganda love the place. Many of us extend our contracts; some of us decide to settle here. Mixed race relationships are common and I share some of my experiences here in How to date a Ugandan.

Enjoy the best nightlife in East Africa!

Kampala is a party city. Every bar plays loud music and it’s quite common to dance all night at your local bar. There are no particular bar opening hours; many are open all day and all night – you can always find a drink in Kampala.

Very few Ugandans smoke, and culturally, it is frowned upon. That said, few people would complain if you light up. Although it is illegal to smoke in many places, it is rarely enforced. Virtually all clubs and restaurants are outside, or at least have an outdoor section, so you can usually smoke where you like. Cigarettes are very cheap so expat smokers are very happy here!

Most people will tell you they find Kampala a safe city, however, don’t leave your phone on the table while you’re chatting in a café and be careful of your possessions when you are in busy bars (as in most cities).

Technology in Uganda. Staying in touch with the things and people you care about

Access to the Internet is improving all the time in Uganda so Skyping, WhatsApping and Zooming with friends and family back home is a doddle.

These days, your boda boda driver and your house girl have a mobile phone. They may even have a phone that looks better than yours. (Beware cheap Chinese or Indian phones in Uganda. Many are fake so do shop around carefully).

Free WiFi is common these days but you can’t beat the convenience of your own personal – and fast – connection.

Not so long ago, banking and payments involved a lot of physical effort. We paid for everything with cash, waited in line at the bank to withdraw money using a chequebook and drove long distances to pay bills. On my first trip to a Kampala bank, I watched a customer stuff wads of banknotes into his socks before he left the building! Now, you can pay for almost anything via your phone, by linking your online bank account to one of Uganda’s mobile money systems. It’s so easy! Although European banks have had online banking for a long time, few are linked with mobile phone technology yet. Come to East Africa to see how it works! I use mobile money to buy internet data and pay bills. Most of us regularly send or receive cash using these systems. (In Kenya, the M-Pesa system is used in almost every shop and bar).

As for computers, Computer Facilities in Kamwokya have saved my bacon more than once! Two laptop hard drives have died on me but it’s very reassuring to know that they can (almost always) recover the data. Computer Facilities develop bespoke network infrastructure solutions for large companies. Their client list is a ‘who’s who’ of the corporate world in UG and across East Africa.

What about old-fashioned snail mail? Does Kampala have a Post Office?

International delivery companies exist but there is also a Post Office on Kampala Road. I learned that a trip to the Post Office is a good indicator of how you’re getting to grips with life in Uganda.

Back in my VSO volunteer days, I was a regular visitor to the Post Office. Read “The cheque’s in the post ….” apparently.

Last but not least, expats share their advice and experiences in Is Uganda safe to visit? [YES IT IS!]  

What’s your advice for living in Kampala? If you’re planning a move to Uganda, what other questions do you have?