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Kampala (Entebbe) Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
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Kampala (Entebbe) Holidays Overview
The cirt of Kampala is the capital of Uganda and it is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in the south central part of the country.
The city is the political, commercial and educational epicenter of the country which also serves as a travel hub for the rest of Africa.
The history of Kampala which features both historical fact and folklore states that Kampala evolved from an area which was dominated by wetlands and rolling hills which were the domain of the Impalas and other kinds of antelopes who used to graze on the hills and quench their thirst at the wetlands. The Kabaka (king) of the Buganda dynasty used to reside on one of these hills and he then transformed the entire area into his hunting grounds. Other hills in the city were subsequently occupied by various missionaries and the British.
The British arrived in the area in the late 19th century and subsequently called the area the ‘hill of the Impala’. The British under their representative Frederick Lugard created a port in the area to serve the needs of the British East Africa Company and in 1890 Kampala was declared as the headquarters of the colonial administration in Uganda. When the British had arrived in Uganda they were surprised at the advancement of the Buganda people who under their Kabaka( King) had a well developed system of government with a parliament(Lukiiko) in place near the area of Kampala. The British then went on to make Kampala the capital of all of Uganda.
Many buildings from the Buganda Kingdom continue to survive in this city of hills until today like the Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Buganda Parliament, the Buganda Court of Justice and the Naggalabi Buddo Coronation Site.
During the early years of the 20th century Kampala functioned as an important center of trade for the cash crop rich Ugandan economy and the city’s importance was further enhanced by the arrival of the Uganda Railway in Kampala in 1931.
The British continued to preside over Uganda until they withdrew from Uganda on their own terms in October 1962 and country achieved its independence from the British on 9th October 1962. Soon after independence Uganda was a fairly stable and prosperous country which was plunged into turmoil when Idi Amin seized control of the country via a military coup in 1971.
The civil wars that followed in the Seventies and the early 1980’s devastated the country and much of Kampala. The city was in fact only rebuilt after 1986 and today is a thriving energetic metropolis which is home to nearly a million people. The city is also home to the renowned Makerere University which is reputed to be one of the most eminent centers of learning in East Africa.
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Kampala (Entebbe)
holidays - Top Events
The Amakula Kampala International Film Festival
The Amakula Kampala International Film Festival originated on May 21st 2004. The first festival was such a resounding success that the event went on to become an annual festival. This festival is a showcase for domestic and international cinema which has also a special emphasis on African cinema as it aims to increase the interaction between international and regional filmmakers. The festival usually has a specific central theme every year and features screenings, workshops and seminars that center around this main theme.
The Kampala International Jazz festival
This jazz festival usually takes place at the beautiful Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala which is located on the shore of Lake Victoria. This three day event is the largest jazz festival in East Africa which features the best Afro-Jazz artists and international Jazz groups. The festival also features workshops, jam sessions and various other interactive sessions.
Uganda celebrates its Independence on the 9th of October which much pomp and ceremony in Kampala where parades and processions feature as a part of the festivities.
Kampala (Entebbe)
holidays - How to Get There
Airlines like Emirates and Ethiopian, Kenya airways offer air links to Entebbe Airport from the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Australia doesn’t have a diplomatic mission in Uganda and the country is served by the Australian High Commission located in Nairobi, Kenya
http://www.kenya.embassy.gov.au/
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