Uganda - Business TravelUganda - Business Travel

Business Customs

Ugandan business people value decision-making through consensus and place a strong emphasis on developing relationships.  Ugandans place high importance on protocol and begin most meetings with introductions, including the participants’ business backgrounds and families so all parties are comfortable working with each other.  As a result, business transactions take time as parties build their relationships.  A trusted third-party introduction eases familiarity and makes contact with a Ugandan business easier.  An introduction from a mutual friend, acquaintance or known business associate before initial contact can help alleviate some of the problems prior to initial correspondence or meetings.  The U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Section has contacts within government agencies and the business community and can facilitate introductions.  Formality is common in Ugandan business transactions.  Ugandans consider it polite to address contacts using their titles such as Honorable (for members of parliament and ministers), Mr., Mrs., Miss, Dr., followed by the family name.  It may be regarded presumptuous to address someone by their first name during initial meetings.  

Travel Advisory

For the latest travel-related information, please see the consular information sheet for Uganda at U.S. Passports & International Travel - Uganda.

Visa Requirements

The Ugandan immigration service requires visitors to apply for visas online via Uganda’s eVisa application system prior to their arrival and present a confirmation barcode at the airport.  Please apply at least three weeks prior to departure.  Per the Ugandan Embassy website (Embassy of the Republic of Uganda - Visa Requirements) a single-entry visa costs $50, a multiple-entry visa costs $100, and an East Africa tourist visa valid in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya costs $100.

Currency

The official currency for Uganda is the Ugandan shilling (UGX) which trades freely on the open market.  As of May 10, 2019 the exchange rate was UGX 3770 to $1.  Major commercial bank ATMs are available in all major towns and hotels.  Real estate transactions and large import orders are conducted in USD, while day-to-day transactions are conducted in shillings.  Some hotels may take payment in USD and most large-scale chain hotels will take credit card payments.  Outside of major hotels, few businesses accept credit cards and U.S. investors are encouraged to have sufficient cash on hand for transactions.

Telecommunications/Electronics

The largest telecommunication companies in Uganda are:  MTN, Airtel, Uganda Telecom, Africell, Smile Telecom and  Smart Telecom.  The mobile phone network covers urban and most rural areas, though reception quality can be erratic.  SIM Cards for U.S. visitors coming to Uganda with compatible triband phones cost less than $2 and available at authorized telecommunications offices.  Customers are required to register with a passport photo and a copy of their passport bio data page.  A satellite telephone is recommended for persons working in remote rural areas.  U.S. cell phones work in Uganda in roaming mode.  T-Mobile’s international service works through its partnership with local networks.  Google Project Fi also works in partnership with local networks.  WiFi is readily available in major hotels across Uganda, although speeds may vary. 

Electrical outlets in Uganda operate at 220 watts on G-type plugs.  Uganda’s underdeveloped power distribution network results in frequent power surges.  A surge protector is highly recommended for travelers. 

Ugandans, especially in urban areas, increasingly rely on WhatsApp text messages as their primary method of communication, for personal and business needs.  Many Ugandans check their email infrequently and often miss messages.  Fax and copying services are available in shops in Kampala and at major hotels. 

Transportation

Although the government has invested heavily in the country’s road network and several major highways have been improved, many roads, especially in urban areas, are in poor condition.  Paved roads connect Kampala to border crossings with Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, while the primary road to South Sudan is still under construction in several sections.  Uganda’s first four-lane expressway between Kampala and Entebbe opened in June 2018.  Due to poor drainage, driving conditions worsen during the rainy season.  With vehicle ownership increasing ten percent per annum in Kampala, unpredictable traffic congestion continues to worsen.  Routine trips across Kampala can take anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours.  Secondary roads remain undeveloped and a four-wheel drive vehicle is strongly recommended.

Uganda’s public transport system is unreliable and dangerous.  Fourteen seat commuter buses (called “taxis”, as oposed to “cabs”) are used within the cities and for long distance travel.  Due to poor vehicle maintenance, rough road conditions, and aggressive driving, these buses are not safe or reliable.  Uber has become a prevalent means of transportation and is considered safe to use.

Entebbe International Airport offers non-stop flights to regional, European, and Middle Eastern destinations.  Frequent regional flights include: Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, Juba, and Kigali.  Other non-stop international destinations include: Johannesburg, Cairo, Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Brussels, and Amsterdam.  There are no direct flights to the United States, although Delta and United offer codeshares with European, South African, and Middle Eastern carriers.  Small private carriers recently have established scheduled commercial services between Entebbe and several domestic safari sites popular with tourists.  Uganda is expected to launch its national airline (Uganda Airlines) in July 2019 and the airline will initially focus on routes in East and Central Africa before extending to Europe and the far east.

Language

English is the official language of Uganda (British English).  Bantu languages dominate in areas south of Lake Kyoga while Nilotic languages dominate in the north.  Swahili is commonly used around Uganda’s borders with Kenya and Tanzania.

Health

Travelers are encouraged to carry their own medical supplies as some medications are either not available in Uganda or only available in generic form.  Malaria is highly endemic and use of appropriate prophylaxis and bed nets greatly lowers the risk of acquiring malaria and is strongly recommended.  Typhoid fever and Hepatitis A and B immunizations are also recommended as is the meningococcal immunization.  Yellow fever is present especially in northern Uganda, but can reliably be prevented with the required Yellow Fever vaccine.  Uganda requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization to enter the country.  Please be sure to have your immunization card appropriately stamped with the Yellow Fever immunization stamp.   Due to poor sanitation conditions throughout Uganda, enteric diseases including E. Coli, giardia, amoebic dysentery and shigella are common.  Travelers should not eat roadside foods and are encouraged to drink bottled water as typhoid and cholera outbreaks are common.  Although tap water is treated, water from taps is not potable and should be boiled for five minutes and filtered before drinking.  Fruit and vegetables should be soaked for 20 minutes in chlorinated water if they are to be eaten uncooked.  Most lakes and rivers are infested with bilharzia, limiting water-based recreation.  Restaurant food should be hot and cooked.  Uncooked foods and salads and fruits with their peels should be avoided as they could cause enteric diseases.  Stray animals to include cats and dogs should be avoided as they may carry rabies.  HIV/AIDS is prevalent in about 6.4 percent of the local population.   

Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

Uganda is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.  Office hours typically are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday, though in practice, office hours vary and workers frequently go home by noon on Friday.   

Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

Persons bringing goods into Uganda temporarily need to execute a bond through a clearing agent.  Personal effects typically are not taxed, though a sizeable consignment of personal effects might attract the attention of Ugandan Customs and a person bringing in such a consignment should contact a clearing agent.

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