Etiquette and Culture in Uganda

It was obvious that I had I glossed over the Ugandan section when sightseeing in Kampala. Here are some etiquette points I learnt when staying in home-stays around Uganda, so you don’t have to discover them the hard way.

One of my favourite travel books to prepare to travel through any country was, and still is, Lonely Planet. It was obvious that I had I glossed over the Ugandan section when sightseeing in Kampala. Here are some etiquette points I learnt when staying in home-stays around Uganda, so you don’t have to discover them the hard way.

One of the scariest moments of traveling to Uganda was the markets… walking through Kampala’s Owino Market or St. Balikuddembe Market. There was no warning. There was no written etiquette guide. It was 'baptism by fire'. Like SpaceX, we blasted off into the crowds we entered by squeezing ourselves down the thin corridors. Locals were on a mission, buying, selling, and negotiating fast and furious. As we tried to push further into the surging crowds, the yelling and pushing started: ‘get out’, ‘go away’. We made a 15-second decision to turn around and leave the chaos behind.

How to Show Friendliness in Uganda

You can greet in three languages, take your pick: English, Swahili or Luganda. In Swahili (also called Kiswahili — which can be used in over ten African countries), while simultaneously smiling and nodding, say “hello” by saying “jambo” in Swahili.

If you wish to say “hello” in Luganda, you say “oli otya,” and if the local offers a hand out for a handshake, to show extra respect or courtesy, it is customary to place your left hand on your right forearm or elbow while shaking hands with your right hand. Men will take time shaking and women may do the same, indicating familiarity and friendship. A woman may just do a head nod to acknowledge your presence and greet.

For many African cultures, eye contact is an unnecessary rule, unlike its Western counterparts. So, when speaking to a Ugandan, they may look elsewhere. Don’t be put off, keep on talking, you will get a reply to your answer. Pointing at people can be seen as rude and off-putting.  

Always use your hand, palm facing the ground, when talking and expressing yourself. Uganda, of course, respects its elders and has a language to acknowledge this. For an elderly man, you can use “mama, tata, ssebo”and for an elderly woman, “nnyabo”.

I found the food very interesting and very healthy in Uganda. You will be served root vegetables, legumes and various meats, including fish.

Know What to Do When Dining in Uganda

I found the food very interesting and very healthy in Uganda. You will be served root vegetables, legumes and various meats, including fish. Due to the migration of Chinese (1960s) and Indians (1890s), who set up stores, and worked on the railways, an indelible mark was left on Ugandan food culture by way of their use of spices, curries, noodles, rice, dumplings and soy sauce.

You will find in a traditional Ugandan household that men and teenage boys are assisting in other jobs around the house rather than in the kitchen. Families will eat twice a day, drinking tea and porridge or pieces of bread (bread tends to be soft and sweet), then the two main meals will be lunch and dinner. As a side point, Uganda grows its own teas and served with milk and sugar. Surprisingly, Uganda is the biggest exporter of coffee and it’s the younger ‘café generation’ and business-types who drink coffee today.

Before sitting down on floor mats neatly arranged on the floor to dine, you will need to wash your hands and visit the restroom. Actually, most restaurants will have a sink at the entrance to wash your hands before selecting a table and ordering. Food will be offered and served by the females of the family, putting food on your plate, and waiting for your host to start. Please be mindfully conscious to not waste food and eat as much as you can.

Ugandans are spiritual people and you will find on a Sunday that modestly dressed families and individuals will be catching a bus to their nominated church with a Bible in hand. Therefore, praying before eating will occur. 

 When dining in someone’s home, you may be given a spoon, or you have the option of using your fingers, as though you were in India. Never lean over food to grab salt, cutlery or more food. That is seen as rude and uncouth. Politely ask for what you need and you will be served. All items you are given will be given with the right hand. At the end of your meal, you will be provided with a glass of water or another beverage to finish the meal. 

Dessert is not any Western-type traditional cake or pastries. Ugandan dessert comes in the form of healthy palette refreshers. These can range from pawpaw to pineapple to bananas, mangos, jackfruit or even soursop. Soursop is described as an acidic custard apple, with a white fibrous fleshy interior. It is said to have a sweet-tart flavor, with creamy pulp which tastes like a mix of strawberry, citrus and pineapple. It’s very healthy and a fruit everyone should try!

 A point to remember is that it is disrespectful to leave the dining area while others are still eating. Respect your host and stay in the dining quarters until the end of the meal. It's not uncommon to talk about your day during the meal; however, one should always compliment the chef after the meal.  Before standing up to depart the company, you can say, “webale nnyo”. This means, “thank you very much”.

Enjoy your time in Uganda, people are very polite and considerate. The sites in Uganda’s beautiful mountains, highlands, lakes, national parks and wildlife areas can be breathtaking! Remember though, you will need guides to trek in those areas. Oh, and don’t forget to hire a guide for the inner-city markets!

Weeraba bulungi! (Or “goodbye and farewell!”)

For many years, Etiquipedia contributor, Elizabeth Soos, has had a keen interest in cultural customs. With her European background and extensive travel, Soos developed an interest in the many forms of respect and cultural expectations in the countries she has visited. With her 20 years’ experience in customer service within private international companies based in Australia, and her lifetime interest in manners and research, she decided to branch out into the field of etiquette and deportment. Through her self-directed studies and by completing the Train-The-Trainer’s course offered by Emma Dupont’s School of Etiquette in London and by Guillaume Rue de Bernadac at Academie de Bernadac based in Paris and Shanghai, she founded Auersmont School of Etiquette. Elizabeth can currently be found in Melbourne Australia and on numerous social media sites.

 🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor of the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia