Gulu

For other uses, see Gulu (disambiguation).

Gulbarga
—  Municipality  —
Gulbarga
Coordinates: 02°46′48″N 32°18′00″E
Country	Uganda
Region	Northern Uganda
Sub-region	Acholi sub-region
District	Gulu District
Government
• Mayor
Elevation	1,100 m (3,609 ft)
Population (2011 Estimate)
• Total	154,300

Gulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately 200 miles (320 km), by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The town is served by Gulu Airport.

History

The first emergence of regional unity was in the late 19th Century when the region consolidated into nine different territorial sub regions, defined by ethnolinguistic patterns, trade and particularities of social networks. During British colonial rule in the 19th and 20th centuries regional divisions fell along resource distribution lines, with the north developing into a source for the security establishment.

The years since Ugandan independence have been war ridden, first attacks against civilians were initiated in 1986 by the Museveni's government force called the National Resistance Army (NRA) now known as UPDF. Gulu was later targeted by Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni who both saw it as the epicenter of dissent and rebellion in the north.

Violence in the region continued as Acholi-interest groups such as the Holy Spirit Movement arose in defense of government occupation of the region. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a successor to the Holy Spirit Movement, was formed in 1987 by Joseph Kony. But as government forces were slowly pulled from the Acholi region, LRA efforts previously launched against the military turned against the non-fighting population. Realizing that their former constituents were no longer interested in supporting their aims, the LRA became increasing violent in Gulu and the surrounding communities. In 1996 the Ugandan government ordered all civilians to relocate to Internally Displaced Persons Camps. By 2005 the World Health Organization in Uganda had reported that there were 5000 excess deaths per week due to camp condition, not including cross-fire casualties. Several campaigns such as Stop the Genocide in Northern Uganda (StGiNU) demanded the immediate closure of the concentration camps in the north of the country. The group took to the streets and went to the UK parliament in 2006. What they raised was also debated later by the parliamentarians. From the spring of 2007, there has been relative peace due to International pressure calling the Ugandan government to stop the war and to reach a peace agreement with Joseph Kony.

Demographics

The Acholi people are the main inhabitants of the city of Gulu (80%). The majority are Christians. There are a range of spoken languages including Luo (sometimes spelled Lwo), Swahili, English and Luganda.

During the hostilities between the Uganda People's Defense Force and the Lord's Resistance Army there were many Internally Displaced Peoples' (IDPs) camps throughout the area, where at one time, an estimated two million people lived. Effective April 2009, all IDP camps were closed and the people were allowed to return to their villages. In July 2009, an estimated 1,452,000 (80.7%) IDPs out of a total of 1,840,000 had voluntarily left the camps to return home, leaving only 388,000, who are in the process of vacating or permanently settling where they are.

Before the cessation of hostilities between the UPDF and the LRA, up to 15,000 children, known as "night commuters", were fleeing into the city for safety every evening. Since the cessation of hostilities in late 2006, the numbers of "night commuters" has significantly reduced.

The national census in 2002 estimated the population of the city at 119,430. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the city's population at 141,500 in 2008. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population of Gulu at 154,300.

Economy and education

Ebola outbreak in Gulu Municipal Hospital

Gulu is the economic capital of Northern Uganda. The reduced violence since the rebel LRA moved out of Uganda has resulted in an economic revitalization. Peace has also brought a lot of help from the international community in terms of Non-Governmental Organizations. These NGOs are helping the community in various ways by providing food, medical help and rehabilitation centers for formerly abducted children. The NGOs have also created many jobs.

Gulu is the home of Gulu University, which has a wide range of programs ranging from agriculture to medicine, business management and conflict resolution. It is the only public university in northern Uganda and the parent institution of Gulu University School of Medicine, one of the four (4) accredited medical schools in Uganda. The Uganda Management Institute, a government-owned tertiary teaching and research institution in management and administration, which is headquartered in Kampala, maintains a campus in Gulu. Its other upcountry campus is located in the city of Mbarara in Western Uganda.

The city is home to the headquarters of the 4th Division of the Uganda People's Defense Force, active in operations against the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. There are three hospitals providing services to the city: St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and Gulu Independent Hospital. The headquarters of Gulu District Administration is also located in the city. The city is serviced by Gulu Airport, which has a tarmac runway that measures 10,314 feet (3,144 m). Gulu Airport is the second biggest Airport in Uganda after Entebbe International Airport.

Entertainment and sport

Pece Stadium is Gulu's public stadium, and the largest in Northern Uganda with a capacity of 30,000 people. The stadium has recently undergone refurbishment with support the USAID through its Northern Uganda reconstruction body, NUTI. Gulu is the base of several radio stations including Choice FM which broadcasts daily to an estimated 5 million to 6 million listeners each evening. Other radio stations in Gulu include Jal Fresh 96.9 [Gulu's first English speaking station], Mega FM 102.1, Radio Rupiny 97.5, Radio Four 89.4, King FM 90.2, Childcare International 91.5 & 98.9, Norah Radio 92.1,UBC Radio 102.1 &103.1 and Radio Maria 105.7.

Landmarks

The landmarks within the city of Gulu or near its borders include the following:

• The headquarters of Gulu District Administration
• The offices of Gulu City Council
• Pece Stadium - Seating Capacity 30,000, the largest stadium in Northern Uganda
• The headquarters of the 4th Division of the UPDF
• Gulu Central Market
• Gulu Airport
• Gulu University - Home of Gulu University School of Medicine, the only medical school in Eastern Uganda and Northern Uganda
• The Gulu Campus of Uganda Management Institute
• Gulu Regional Referral Hospital
• The headquarters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu
• St. Mary's Hospital Lacor
• Gulu Independent Hospital

Other points of interest

• A branch of Barclays Bank
• A branch of Centenary Bank
• A branch of Crane Bank
• A branch of Bank of Africa
• A branch of DFCU Bank
• A branch of Equity Bank
• A branch of Kenya Commercial Bank
• A branch of Orient Bank
• A branch of PostBank Uganda
• A branch of Stanbic Bank
• A branch of Standard Chartered Bank
• Gulu Currency Center - A currency storage and processing facility owned and operated by the Bank of Uganda, Uganda's Central Bank.
• A branch of the National Social Security Fund
• Bombah Hotel Gulu - A modern multi-star hotel, the first in Northern Uganda, to contain elevators.

See also

• Railway stations in Uganda
• Gulu Walk
• Gulu University
• Gulu District
• Gulu Airport
• Acholi sub-region
• Northern Region, Uganda
• Kwach Academy

External links

• Official site
• MSN Map