| The People Of Uganda |
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Among these many people hides faces which have experienced cruelties of every kind, from the era of nightmares instigated by the authoritarian rule of Idi Amin, to the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) guerilla group of Joseph Kony. But even with these dark years in the annals of Uganda, the country’s people share a sense of patriotism and boast of remarkable hospitality. The people belong to mainly the Bantu, who constitute more than 50% of Uganda's total population and include the Baganda from the central region. The Nilotics include the Acholi, Alur, Langi, Lugbara, Madi, and Kakwa in the north. The Lendus from Zaire are also found across the border in Northwestern Uganda. Other major tribes include Madi - Muro, Highland Nilotics and Nilo – Hermits. English is the official language, while Luganda is easily the more spoken language by Ugandans in most towns where business is transacted. This is as a result of British colonial rule where the indirect policy of rule used Baganda chiefs to oversee their business. Kiswahili is spoken but not without relative unease while a number of other Languages like Runyakitara and Luganda are examinable as degree courses. Each tribe has it's own traditional dance; the Banyankole perform their Kitaguriro dance, the Banyoro have their Runyege, Acholi have the Bwila and Otole dances. The Alur people from the West Nile have the Agwal dance, Bagisu have the Imbalu dance during circumcision ceremonies. Meals are prepared by women and girls; men and boys age twelve and above do not sit in the kitchen. Popular dishes include matoke (a staple made from bananas), millet bread, cassava (tapioca or manioc), sweet potatoes, chicken and beef stews, and freshwater fish. Other foods include white potatoes, yams, corn, cabbage, pumpkin, tomatoes, millet, peas, sorghum, beans, groundnuts (peanuts), goat meat, and milk. Oranges, papayas, lemons, and pineapples also are grown and consumed. The national drink is waragi, a banana gin. Restaurants in large population centers, such as Kampala (the capital), serve local foods. Uganda's beauty, wildlife diversity, and friendly people justify its reputation as "The Pearl of Africa". 
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