This archive report was first published on 20 August 2020.
Published on August 20, 2020, a time when Uganda was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, an article by Joachim Buwembo highlighted the unexpected ways in which the country was thriving.
One of the sectors that were expected to be severely affected by the pandemic was tourism. However, as the lockdown was lifted, Ugandans began to explore their own country, visiting game parks and other tourist attractions. The owners of game park lodges reported full bookings on weekends by locals, and they were now faced with the challenge of convincing Ugandans that they could also tour their country on weekdays.
Another unexpected outcome of the pandemic was the improvement in food consumption. People were eating better, and the average Ugandan emerged from the lockdown looking better fed, not emaciated. This was attributed to the fact that Ugandans were now consuming their best farm produce, reserving the best dishes for themselves rather than saving them for visitors.
Ugandans were also discovering the joys of luxury transportation. The Civil Aviation Authority had deployed locally designed buses built at the military industrial complex, which were plying between the airport and the city. These buses were completely soundless and were a testament to the country's ability to produce modern and efficient transportation systems.
But perhaps the most surprising outcome of the pandemic was the rise in savings. The central bank released an observation at the beginning of August that since the start of the lockdown, the country had seen an unprecedented rise in savings. This was attributed to the fact that people were saving more, not knowing that their neighbors were also saving more.
However, not all news was good. The revenue authority was upbeat over the tax collection from beer sales, despite the fact that bars and clubs were closed. It seemed that people were drinking more beer at home, and this was resulting in increased revenue for the government.
As Uganda continued to navigate the challenges of the pandemic, it was clear that the country was resilient and adaptable. The article by Joachim Buwembo highlighted the ways in which Ugandans were making the most of the situation, and finding ways to thrive in the face of adversity.
