The status with HIV/AIDS in Uganda

Experts now urge the problem with HIV/AIDS to become a bigger focus in the coming election campaign. In the 90s and the early 20s Uganda received good money in aid for HIV/AIDS challenges in the country, but after it was reviled in 2005 that a lot of money was misused by the government, many founders pulled out. Now Uganda´s HIV/AIDS statistics aren't looking good.


According to doctors working with the UN in Uganda 2,5 million are dead from the disease, and 61.000 die each year. 1,5 millions are infected, and 47% of them notes their status as married. 200.000 below the age of 18 years have the virus, and many are born with HIV. Even though there are ways of treating a pregnant woman, without hurting the baby.


Just 60.000 of Uganda´s 27 million people are tested, but many of thees don´t come to collect their results. Getting treatment to live a better and longer life, can mean a lot for supporting families and bringing income. But today at least 74.000 needs ARVS (treatment), but only 19.000 are getting it.


The government have stated that they want increase the number of treatments, so that means people have to wait in line for others to die, before they get ARVS.


Information, protection access, and help with the psychological aspect are important elements. But experts says that all the presidential candidates needs to have big and comprehensive programs for dealing with HIV/AIDS to be good candidates in their eyes.

Change of topic at the AU summit

The topic of the African Union (AU) Summit this week was supposed to be maternal health. But the summit had to change their topic,. In light of the terrorist attack on Uganda (under the FIFA World Cup Finally), the AU found it necessary to focus on security.

The president of Sudan Omar Hassan al- Bashir did not participate in the summit. He did not want to go, and no body else from Sudan was sent either. Many criticized this, but still al- Bashir was one of the big topics.

According to Reuters the International Criminal Court (ICC) this month added genocide to charges issued last year against Bashir of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the war-torn Darfur region where the United Nations estimates a humanitarian crisis has claimed 300,000 lives since a 2003 revolt by rebels demanding more wealth and power.

Still the AU made a resolution to make ICC withdraw the arrest order against al- Bashir, because of the level of conflict in the area. The UYD say they are critical to the decision.

Terror attacks in Kampala

Politically, Uganda faces a variety of challenges. One of them is closely related to the country’s military engagement in the peacekeeping operations in Somalia. Being one of very few countries with troops there, Uganda has been threatened with terrorist attacks from the Islamic al-Shabaab movement.

A few weeks ago, Kampala was shaken by a dreadful attack. Suicide bombers attacked The Rugby Pub and the Ethiopian Village, both pubs where locals were watching the FIFA World Cup finals. More than 80 civilians were killed, among them 1 American.

Ethiopia is one of the other countries being involved in the operations in Somalia, making the restaurant in Uganda a “perfect” target for the terrorists.

The Museveni regime of Uganda is using the attack for what it’s worth, and the opposition claims the situation may be used by the president as an excuse for making it even harder for the people of Uganda to organize demonstrations and political meetings. In addition, it could be easier for the army and the police to arrest people and use violence. No one wants to be the ones opposing measures taken to avoid new attacks.

That makes the situation even more difficult for the opposition, already having a hard time getting their voices heard in a media world mainly controlled by the government. Everywhere we go; there are officers with rifles guarding even the super markets and restaurants.

We will keep fighting with UYD and DP, to form a new Uganda based on democratic principles. The first step is having a peaceful campaign and election next winter, getting elected as much DP candidates as possible.

The Ethiopian Village