Uganda

The  final Saturday of each month, between 7 and 10 am, is a mandatory and nationwide cleaning day.

According to Government of Uganda guidance, Ugandans are expected to clean homes, neighbourhoods, markets, schools, health facilities, places of worship, roads, drainage channels and other public spaces. Foreigners are not the intended participants but may be affected.   

During this time, all businesses must close and all non-essential movement of people and vehicles is prohibited. There are exemptions for tourists, international travellers, medical staff, state security actors and journalists. Patients seeking medical attention are allowed to travel to health facilities. Cross border traffic is also exempt.

The Ugandan police will enforce the travel restrictions. Anyone travelling under one of the exemptions may be required to identify themselves and explain their circumstances to police officers.  

It is unclear how widely the restrictions are enforced and what the restrictions mean for UK travellers, including for hotel and airport access. Contact your travel provider for more information.

Officials may stop you and ask for ID. Always carry a copy of the photo page of your passport.

It is illegal for anyone, including children, to dress in military-style clothing. This includes clothing with marks, badges or symbols and accessories associated with the Ugandan military, camouflage clothing and red berets. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment when convicted.

It is illegal and punishable by a fine and a possible prison sentence to offer money, food or clothing to children living on the streets in Kampala.

It is illegal to smoke in:

• public places
• workplaces
• transport
• outdoors if you’re within 50 metres of a public building

Electronic cigarettes and shisha (water-pipe tobacco) are illegal. There are penalties including fines and prison sentences.

Penalties for illegal drug possession and illegal drug trafficking are severe. The maximum sentence is 20 years for possession and life imprisonment for trafficking.

It is forbidden to take photos of military, official or diplomatic sites. This includes Owen Falls Dam at the source of the Nile near Jinja.

If you are taking photographs of people, ask their permission first.

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Uganda.

In May 2023, Uganda introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. This act introduces long prison sentences, and the death penalty in some cases, for same-sex sexual activity. There are also severe penalties for promoting LGBT+ rights.

Sexual activity with someone of the same sex carries the punishment of life imprisonment.

Offences classed as ’aggravated homosexuality’ carry a sentence up to the death penalty (though the death penalty has not been implemented for civilians in Uganda since 1999). ‘Aggravated homosexuality’ is defined as sexual activity with someone of the same sex who is:

• a person aged 17 or under
• a person aged 75 or above
• a relative or someone under your care
• disabled or suffering from mental health issues
• a person who is unconscious or under the influence of medicine or other substances that impair their judgement
• under duress or misrepresentation
• threatened or intimidated

A person who has a previous conviction of homosexuality or related offences can be charged with aggravated homosexuality for subsequent offences.

Promoting or supporting homosexuality carries up to a 20-year prison sentence. This includes, but is not limited to:

• encouraging or persuading someone to perform a same-sex sexual act or anything that is an offence under the act
• publishing, printing, broadcasting by any means, information that promotes or encourages homosexuality
• providing financial or other support that encourages homosexuality or the normalisation of acts prohibited by the act

The law could affect those who are exercising their freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, to show support for LGBT+ people and rights.

Anti-LGBT+ rhetoric by religious leaders, politicians, government officials and the local media can incite homophobia against the LGBT+ community.

LGBT+ people or those who are perceived to be LGBT+ may be at greater risk of harassment, imprisonment, blackmail and violence from people who view the law as justification for attacks.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

It’s illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a licence. If you’re caught buying or trafficking such goods you might be prosecuted and get a prison sentence or a fine.

Localised flooding and landslides are common, particularly during the rainy seasons from March to May and October to November.

Uganda is in an earthquake zone. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.