Hope and Uncertainty in Kampala
January 2026
In January, I traveled to Uganda and spent time documenting daily life in Kampala. Conversations with locals revealed limited job opportunities, hopes for political change, and the risks faced by journalists working in the country.
The city felt crowded and restless—boda boda motorcycle taxis weaving through traffic at every corner and street vendors calling out to passing customers.
Beneath the movement and noise, it became clear that stable job opportunities were hard to find.
Many relied on informal work, selling clothes, food, and small household items in open markets or carrying loads between vendors.
Some had stopped searching for work and spent their days drinking to pass the time, while others remained hopeful for a better future.
Uganda was in the middle of a tense general election period. Security forces were on high alert, particularly toward journalists and anyone seen as opposing President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country for nearly four decades.
Several people I spoke with privately expressed support for opposition leader Bobi Wine, hoping the election could bring change.
On election day, the government initiated a nationwide internet shutdown, blocking access to information and communication across the country.
Two days later, when access was restored, Museveni was declared president once again.
As I walked through Kampala, I was stopped by presidential security forces. They took me off the street into a small room, questioned and searched me, accusing me of spying on the government.
After thirty minutes of interrogation and threats of detention, I paid a small amount of money and was released with a warning: I no longer had permission to take photographs in Uganda.