• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Making the best of what we have in 2018

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
8 years ago
in Voices
1 0

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 70

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 73
ShareTweetSendShare

By Dr. Ian Clarke

I have been a bit caught off guard in writing this column, since I lost track of time and almost missed the deadline. I suspect I am no different than many people in this period between the Christmas and New year who are so relaxed that they don’t know what day of the week it is. I hasten to add that this is not because I have had an overdose of the Christmas spirit, but because I have traveled to Zanzibar where time appears to stand still, or even go back.

So now I have been left to find inspiration and write a column within the next one hour, so that I can make the deadline before the Sunday Vision goes to print. Taking inspiration from the surroundings around me, where there is art, hotels, spices, and tourism I have been thinking about how Uganda can learn from Zanzibar. This is a small island in which one can travel from the northern tip to the southernmost point in two hours, yet it has at least one thousand hotels, with tourists flying in from all corners of the world.

This is not to say that Zanzibar is such an amazing place: it is not some kind of African Disney World. In fact, it is a decaying island, but it catches the imagination of tourists, and they flock here for a whole variety of reasons. One reason, which Uganda can’t match, is the white sandy beaches, and another, which Uganda has allowed itself to lose, is its history. But Zanzibar has also sold itself as ‘Spice Island’ and people actually take spice tours, which means that they go on a tour through some villages, meet the local villagers and are shown how they grow spices. Another name for this kind of tourism is eco-tourism in which tourists get to know how the local people live. It is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world, and Uganda is the ideal place for eco-tourism. Ugandans are taught English at schools, so more of them speak English than Tanzanians; they are very friendly and they are so happy when they receive visitors, especially foreigners.

There is so much talk about unemployment among young people in Uganda, while at the same time most Ugandans are involved in subsistence farming, so why not put the two things together and bring tourists to see Ugandans in their traditional way of life. Of course, there are some things which we do in Uganda which militate strongly against ecotourism, such as scattering rubbish all over the countryside. There is currently a worldwide campaign against plastics, because large amounts of plastics are finding their way into the sea, and into our food-chain, but if one walks around any scenic route in Uganda one will be treading knee deep in garbage and plastic bags. Rwanda took the issue seriously and is now admired all around the world for being environmentally friendly, while we still wallow in plastics and garbage.

Uganda has been lauded in many of the mainstream tourism magazines as being one of the top tourist destinations in the world, but what are we doing to promote Uganda ourselves? Simply by cleaning up our environment we would score points. We can use what already exists in the form of traditional Ugandan agriculture to show people how most Ugandans live. We can show people traditional Ugandan cooking using banana leaves, and allow them to try it out for themselves, as I once did in Vietnam. I am involved in coffee farming, and some people would love to see how coffee is grown and where their cup of coffee comes from. There are many small holder coffee farmers in the Rwenzori and on Mount Elgon where it is fascinating to see how they pick and hull their coffee.

So, in 2018, instead of moaning about all the problems, let us recognize what we have, what we can do to improve what we have, and make the best of it.

And now since I have written my column, I will be able to get back to enjoying my holiday in Zanzibar (what day is it?). May I take this opportunity to wish all my readers a Happy and Prosperous and Blessed New Year in 2018


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

National

MP Nsereko Vows to Block NUP’s Rubongoya in Kampala Central Race

29th June 2025 at 11:27
Bukoto Central MP Richard sebamala was locked out of DP elections which has created discontent amongst DP members
Op-Ed

Sebamala’s Next Move After DP Lockout Signals a Brewing Storm in Uganda’s Opposition

6th June 2025 at 11:32
Community News

MIKE SSEGAWA — Kabaka Mutebi at 70: A Reign of Revival, Unity, and Progress in Buganda

11th April 2025 at 22:25
Next Post

Is playing hard to get no longer in vogue for ladies?

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1113 shares
    Share 445 Tweet 278
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    45 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    120 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda