The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country located in the eastern part of Africa and home to various ethnic and linguistic groups. The official languages of Uganda are English and Swahili. The country is also religiously diverse, with Christianity being the most widely professed faith. Uganda has experienced intermittent violent conflicts since it achieved independence from the United Kingdom (UK) in 1962. Multiple military coups, violent regimes – including that of Idi Amin (1971-1979) – have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, displacement and the prolonged suffering of Ugandans. Fifty-nine years since independence, the country is yet to witness a democratic handover of power from one leader to another. President Yoweri Museveni, who took power 35 years ago in 1986, has faced opposition from different groups across the country. The government is contested and marked by recurrent political violence during and after elections. Corruption, economic stagnation, a youth bulge and an influx of refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, further intensify the ongoing political grievances. Instability in Uganda poses a significant threat to national and regional stability, as Kampala is a key security and political actor, influential in countries ranging from South Sudan to Somalia, Burundi and the DRC.
