The Social -Cultural Environment of Uganda

Uganda is a pluralistic society with a complex social order characterized by a multitude of ethnic, linguistic, and religious divisions. Roman Catholics are the majority and comprise about 46% of the population with the Protestants at 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 8%, other 3.1%, and none 0.9% . They stand not evenly distributed across regions in the country. Most of the rural areas across the country are dominated by Roman Catholics while they share the urban centers with the Protestants almost the same percentage and very few Muslims.
Uganda is also made up of various ethnic groups; Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7% and other 29.6% (2002 census). All these groups subscribe to different customs and traditions.
About 70% of the Ugandan people live in villages that continue to be under developed and backward. Lack of civic amenities, employment opportunities, roads, transport facilities, electricity, hospitals and schools in rural areas is a hard reality. The gains of industrialization and development during the past 50 years have mostly been cornered by the urban areas. On an average a city dweller earns nearly 2.5 times more than a ruralite. The gains of technological back-through and industrialization are yet to reach the villages.
Poverty of the masses is an important feature of the Ugandan social system despite the fact of having made considerable progress in the fields of agriculture and industrialization. Poverty levels in Uganda decreased significantly between 2002 and 2005, but the African Development Bank still estimates that 51 percent of Ugandans live in extreme poverty (less thanUS$1 per day or 2,100 Uganda shillings). Disadvantaged households have the least access to health, social, and financial services and other basic products required by human beings.
Illiterates constitute a major part of the Ugandan