Is today’s Uganda better or worse-off?
Before Ugandans head for the polls on February 18, 2011 to elect a president, members of parliament, district councilors and mayors, it might be helpful to consider the following developments.
1. The general standard of living of Ugandans has not reached the level attained in 1970.
2. Fifty two percent of Ugandans live below the poverty line of $1.25 a day (HDR 2010).
3. Some twenty percent of Ugandans in the lowest income bracket have become poorer.
4. Economic growth has fallen short of 7 or 8 percent required as a minimum to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
5. Seventy percent of Uganda’s GDP is generated in Kampala and its vicinity with a population of some two million. The remaining 31 million Ugandans contribute a mere 30 percent of GDP.
6. Household income distribution is highly skewed with 20 percent in the highest income bracket taking over 50 percent while 40 percent in the lowest income bracket taking 15 percent. Urban areas have performed relatively better than rural areas and southern has performed relatively better than northern Uganda.