Research

AFFILIATIONS

Makerere Institute for Social Research

You might consider affiliation with Makerere Institute for Social Research. $300 affiliation fee. Can get research clearance once you are affiliated, plus access to Makerere library. And when cashing checks can use MISR address. Important to have an affiliation for one's research clearance plus it gives credibility, legitimacy.

In order to do long-term research in Uganda you must be attached to an institution. If MISR will be your Institution then you need to do the following:

• Fill in MISR affiliation forms (obtain from Patrick Mulindwa)

• Attach most recent passport size photos

• Have at lease two referee to support your application

• Read the Associates Agreement and eventually sign it

• Pay affliation fees, US 300

• You must also have your research project cleared by the National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST).

Forms can be obtained from Patrick Mulindwa, Research Secretary at MISR, P.O. Box 16022, Kampala, Uganda

Tel. 256 41 554582
Fax: 256 41 532821
Mob. 256 77 490310
Email: diremisr@wiscmail.wisc.edu

The MISR library has little to offer in the way of research resources. Hit and miss. They have saved newspapers in recent years and have bound them up until most recent months (New Vision offices have their papers in high demand which makes them hard to use). Look at old dissertations and old MISR compilations of unpublished papers. Librarian: Ruth Nalumaga.

Makerere Institute for Social Research
PO Box 16022
Kampala
Uganda
fax: 256-41-532-821
fax: 256-41-530412 c/o Makerere Institute for Social Research, pick up faxes at Wandegeya post office
phone: 256-41-554-582
256-41-532-830/7/8/9
email: misrlib@imul.com
website: http://www.uganda.co.ug/misr

Centre for Basic Research

Free for three days, $150 or one year affiliation for graduate students, $200 for post-graduate researchers and all others. Well worth affiliating. They have lots of resources there and good people to meet. Clippings from press since 1989 organized into categories and filed. Mahmood Mamdani originally started this center.

Centre for Basic Research
P.O. Box 9863
Kampala
UGANDA
Phone: 242987/231228/231228 phone
Fax: 235413 fax
Email: cbr@imul.com
Website: http://www.cbr-ug.org/

Take minibus or taxi there. Tell taxis driver to go to Baskerville Ave, plot 15 near City High School in Kololo, across from Save the Children.

BIRDS

Bird life is wonderful in Uganda - even on campus. One can see casqued hornbills, woodland kingfishers, pied crows, marabou storks, yellow-billed rollers, yellow-vented bulbuls, vultures, and other marvelous birds in Kampala. A spotting scope is worthwhile! Small binoculars are a must! (Dr. Christine Drazoa in the School of Veterinary Medicine, is a world class birding expert)

LISTSERVE

There is a Uganda Listserve for scholars of Uganda. Write to Holly E. Hanson <hhanson@MtHolyoke.edu> and identify yourself, asking to be put on the list.

It is useful for research contacts, logistical information, research queries etc.

NEWS

Daily newspapers in Uganda: The Monitor (independent paper) and New Vision (government paper but can take positions critical of government)

To access Uganda news in the US: http://www.allafrica.com

To access Uganda news that is older: Lexis Nexis at http://www.library.wisc.edu/journals/ then under L go to Lexis Nexis Select a News Category: "World News" Select a News Source: "Middle East/Africa"

PUBLICATIONS

• Ministry of Planning office, top floor of Uganda House can find store that sells budget and other current government publications.

• Government printers in Entebbe (opposite Lake Vic Hotel on Entebbe road).

• Map office is in Entebbe. About $5 per map. They are very helpful.

• Archives in Entebbe probably not worth going to unless you are a historian, but if you have something specific in mind it is worth a try. They want to see your research permits, so make sure you have one by the time you want to access material. If you a historian you will have to get to know the librarian and make sure you get to go through the archives yourself. This requires a little finesse. If you are in Entebbe and want to treat yourself, go to Lake Vic hotel for lunch across from the government printers.

• University Bookstore (near Guild canteen near Makerere Guest House). Has a great selection of books by Africans and about Africa. Cheaper than buying same books in the US.

• Fountain Bookpoint, 6 Jinja Road

• Aristoc in Diamond Trust building, 17/19 Kampala Road (great selection)

• Uganda Bookshop, 4 Colville St.

• Sheraton Hotel has some Fountain Books and touristy info

RADIO STATIONS

BBC World Service 101.1

Capital Radio 91.3

Central Broadcasting Service 88.8/89.2

Power Radio 104.1

Radio One 90.0

Radio West 100.2/94.3/106.6/95.2

Sanyu FM 2000 88.2

Simba 97.3

Greater Africa Radio 98.3

Monitor FM 93.3

Radio France International 93.7

Radio Paidha 87.8

Radio Uganda Green Channel 98.0

Top Radio 89.6/99.6

Voice of Teso 88.4

Voice of Toro 101

Television Stations

Channel Television

Lighthouse Television

Sanyu Television/TV Africa

Uganda Television

WBS Television

Top Television

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

If you want a research assistant there is a ready supply at MISR. Only work with people who have been recommended by researchers already or by people you really trust. Make sure you get someone who speaks the language where you are going. Don't let anyone push someone on to you. If they do, be warned that they may be more interested in helping someone out and it probably isn't you. In other words you may not be getting the most qualified person. Pay assistants well (above the regular MISR rates) and be very kind and considerate of them. This goes without saying.

RESEARCH CLEARANCE

http://www.uncst.go.ug/html/r_main.htm

• When you apply for your permit, make sure you ask for all possible places/districts you may be working in. They give you individual permits for various districts, and then you need to get a letter from the District Administrator in the district. This is not a big deal and is a great way to get an interview with him/her. I make sure to have letters even though no one asks, but if there is some kind of trouble, at least you have the right documentation.

• Good to bring a letter from your department chair in the US also when applying for the permit. Not required

• Need to have research proposal to apply for permit. Also 6 passport photos and $200 charge (1999).

RESEARCH TIPS

• Africana section of main library at Makerere may be useful. A lot is in the catalog and is actually in their collection but not accessible. They will say it is not there. May need contacts to be able to access if you are determined.

• Watch papers for public lectures. Can be very interesting.

• Might want to check out the library at the Uganda National Museum if you are a historian. The Museum itself was under renovation in June 2001 (don't know until when).

• Uganda Society publishes a journal of general social science and humanities interest (10,000 sh per issue) and holds a lecture on the last Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm. PO Box 4980, Kampala.

SUPPLIES

Things to take along that you might not have considered:

telephone jacks and wires for your laptops - these items are expensive and difficult to find in Kampala -- a trip to Radio Shack will do the trick.

large and small ziploc bags (great for storing food and keeping bugs out)

business cards

small coffee filters & small plastic coffee filter holder

umbrella

swiss army knife

flashlight

good walking shoes

large tote bag for groceries & stuff or knapsack

letter of introduction from department chair

6 passport photos for research clearance

2 passport photos for research affiliation

photos to show people your life in US, relatives

large manila envelopes

jiffy bags

envelopes for mailing disks

letterhead from department & envelopes

needles for injections (especially if working in rural areas)

large bandaids

surge suppressor (a must for laptops)

mosquito net (nice light one available from Magellan)

Gifts for women: perfumes, jewelry, handkerchiefs, earrings, purses, sewing material, scarves, cookies from airport, hairpins, colorful vinyl tablecloth, flowerseed, calendar

Gifts for men: wallets, solar powered calculators, handkerchiefs, picture frames, magic eye book or calendar

Gifts for children: jewelry, hairpins, crayons, felt tip pens, colored pencils, maps of world, plastic animals, toy cars

Academics: appointment book, liquor (give advisedly, non-Muslims), latest book of interest to their field

TRAVELLING OUT OF KAMPALA

Many researchers prefer large buses to small minibuses, not only because they are cheaper, but also because they are a lot safer and you can carry more luggage (just keep your eyes on it at all times of course!)

WEB SITES

General info on Uganda:

http://www.ugandaweb.com/

http://www.uganda.co.ug/

http://imul.com/uganda/index.html

Kampala info: http://cityguide.lycos.com/africa/east_africa/UGAKampala.html

New Vision: www.newvision.co.ug

Women of Uganda Network: http://www.wougnet.org/