Postcard from Gulu

Kariuki Mureithi writes from Gulu in the third of his reports from around the country in the run-up to Uganda's presidential election on 12 March

The town of Gulu has been having a hard time in the past few years.

When it is not bleeding from wounds of war, it is mourning its dead sons and daughters who have succumbed to deadly diseases, such as Aids and Ebola.

At the moment the town is in the recovery stage following an outbreak of the Ebola virus last year. The disease left hundreds dead, and many others suffering from various side effects, such as blindness.

Although the town was last week officially declared Ebola free, I was very aware on my arrival when shaking hands with people that the disease can spread through bodily contact.

Economic misery

Apart from the loss in human lives, Gulu has also lost out economically from the Ebola outbreak.

More than 170 died in Gulu from Ebola

Many hotels, restaurants and other social places closed down for lack of customers: most people shunned crowds; they were scared to sleep on bedding, or use cutlery whose hygienic standards they were not sure about.

One hotel owner told me the Ebola outbreak was the biggest economic tragedy ever to hit Gulu.

The Ebola tragedy has been compounded by the long running rebel war in northern Uganda.

Rebellion

It was brought home to me when, on the day I arrived in Gulu, rebels of the Lords Resistance Army attacked a pick-up truck travelling from Kitgum to Gulu killing seven people and seriously injuring four others.

Gulu: Battered by rebels and Ebola

This long running rebellion in Gulu and neighbouring districts has been executed by a people who feel the central government in Kampala has given them a raw deal.

They say ever since northerner Milton Obote was kicked out of power, they have not been effectively involved in the governance of Uganda.

They have managed their rebellion through help from the government of neighbouring Sudan, which justifies its action by claiming that Uganda assists the Sudan People's Liberation Army, SPLA, which is fighting for the autonomy of southern Sudan.

Mistrust

This is the Gulu that the two front runners in Uganda's presidential elections have to win over.

Museveni has had 15 years to end the rebellion

A Gulu whose population has been hardened by disease and war; a people with a deep mistrust for government.

"Museveni is a military man. We gave him 15 years to solve our problem, but he has failed miserably," one middle aged man lamented,

"And because ours is basically a security problem, perhaps it's time we tried out another military man".

There was no doubt in my mind that the man he was talking about is Dr (retd colonel) Kizza Besigye.