It's no surprise that people who were born and raised in Kampala and those briefly living in it love the city and wouldn't fathom living anywhere else. However, sometimes the romance with the city hits a bumpy road and boy do they love to complain. *starts playing world's smallest violin*
1. Traffic Jams
Kampala has one the highest number of cars in East Africa with the average household owning at least 2 - 3 vehicles. This coupled with the lack of roads and misleading traffic police (who actually cause more jams than solving them) in the city leads to paralyzing traffic jams that can last hours on end. As shown here on a previous episode of the BBC TV show Top Gear, the traffic jams in Kampala don't seem to be going away any time soon.
2. Politics
If there's one thing Ugandans love to whine about more than anything is the political state of their country. However during every electoral year they vote for the same government and have consistently done so for the past 30 years. Once the election period dust settles, life returns to normal. Until they start complaining again.
3. Corruption
The perfect segway from the previous point, Corruption has been blamed for most of the country's woes. From high level government officials, public offices, the police to the regular joe, corruption is embedded in the back bone of the city. Sadly, those who complain about it are also usually the ones benefitting from it.
4. The "Terrible Economy"
Despite the growth in economic momentum in the past few years, Kampalan's still complain about the state of their economy.
5. Noise Pollution
If you live in a Kampala suburb, you have or know someone who has definitely complained about the noise level in your neighbourhood especially in areas near local clubs, bars and restaurants. Despite the fact that they complain about it, most people in Kampala still somehow reside in these areas.
6. The Annoying And Unstoppable Boda Bodas
Boda Boda aka the arch nemesis of motorists in the city has proved to be a nuisance for many. However these so called motorists that complain about the Bodas, are usually their biggest clients when they need to avoid traffic or when not driving their vehicles
7. The Bad Roads/Streets
The basic road infrastructure of Kampala city is one big joke. There are limited roads and Pot holes in most of them and lack of street lights lead to heavy traffic jams and accidents. This is one source of complaints in Kampala.
8. The Expensive Internet
Ahhh....the internet. Pretty much everyone in Kampala who requires the use of the internet has complained about it, tried out a few networks and has just settled for what works best for them. The truth is compared to other cities, Kampala's internet is costly and slow. Therefore we settle for whatever we have because hey, "beggars can't be choosers" right?
9. Lack of Good Health Care
Kampala's health care is be better than the rest of the country but that still doesn't make it the best. The government's lack of emphasis on improving the healthcare sector has forced most residents to seek medical services in neighbouring countries.
10. Lack Of Jobs
Everyone has complained about the lack jobs in Kampala but yet they somehow find a way to take care of themselves and their families. Unlike western countries where the government offers welfare assistance to poor families, in Kampala theres no such thing leaving many to work hard to fend for themselves by creating their own jobs.