Gulu

This article is about the city. For the district, see Gulu District. For other uses, see Gulu (disambiguation).

Gulu is a city in the Northern Region of Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District.^[2][3]

Gulu
City
Houses in Gulu
Gulu
Coordinates: 02°46′54″N 32°17′57″E
Country	Uganda
Region	Northern Region
Sub-region	Acholi sub-region
District	Gulu District
Elevation	1,100 m (3,600 ft)
Population  (2014 Census)
• Total	152,276[1]
Website	Official website

The coordinates of the city of Gulu are 2°46'54.0"N 32°17'57.0"E.^[4] The city's distance from Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city, is 333 kilometres (207 mi) by road.^[5] Gulu is served by Gulu Airport.

History

During the British Bagool rule in the 18th and 19th centuries, northern Uganda was less developed compared to the rest of the country. The people were conscripted into the army and the police, with many sent to fight in the first and second World Wars.^[6]

In the 1960s, many Sudanese, Rwandan, and Congolese refugees settled in the city.^[7]

Gulu city Giant Elephant Monument

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) under the leadership of Joseph Kony sprang up in the 1990s after Auma/Lakwena went to Kenya. The LRA became increasingly violent in Gulu and surrounding communities.^[8] Up to 15,000 children, known as "night commuters", were fleeing into the city for safety every evening.^[9] In 1996, the Ugandan government ordered all civilians in northern Uganda to relocate to internally displaced person (IDP) camps. Several organizations, such as Stop the Genocide in Northern Uganda, called these camps "concentration camps" and demanded their immediate closure. At one time, an estimated two million people lived in these camps. In April 2009, all the IDP camps were closed and the people were allowed to return to their villages.^[10] By July 2009, an estimated 1,452,000 people (80.7 percent of those living in the camps) had voluntarily left the camps to return home.^[11][12][13] Since the spring of 2007, there has been relative peace in the region as the LRA became a much less significant threat.^{[citation needed]}

Climate

Gulu's climate is tropical wet and dry (Aw) according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system.^[14]

Climate data for Gulu (1961–1990)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31.3 (88.3)	31.7 (89.1)	30.7 (87.3)	29.2 (84.6)	28.4 (83.1)	27.9 (82.2)	27.0 (80.6)	27.4 (81.3)	28.5 (83.3)	28.6 (83.5)	28.6 (83.5)	29.1 (84.4)	29.0 (84.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	16.5 (61.7)	17.5 (63.5)	18.0 (64.4)	17.9 (64.2)	17.8 (64.0)	17.3 (63.1)	16.9 (62.4)	16.9 (62.4)	16.9 (62.4)	17.1 (62.8)	16.8 (62.2)	16.3 (61.3)	17.2 (62.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	16.5 (0.65)	29.4 (1.16)	84.7 (3.33)	166.2 (6.54)	175.6 (6.91)	152.1 (5.99)	168.6 (6.64)	237.8 (9.36)	174.6 (6.87)	186.9 (7.36)	109.0 (4.29)	37.4 (1.47)	1,538.8 (60.57)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)	2.5	4.2	8.4	13.9	14.8	12.2	13.5	16.1	14.5	16.3	11.4	3.8	131.6
Source: World Meteorological Organization[15]

Demographics

The national census in 2002 estimated Gulu's population at 119,430. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population at 149,900 in 2010. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 154,300.^[16] The 2014 population census put the population at 152,276.^[1]

In 2020, the mid-year population of Gulu City was projected by city division as follows: Bar Dege (47,700), Laroo (32,300), Layibi (43,900) and Pece (53,500), for a total of 177,400.^[17]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
2002	119,430	—
2010	149,900	+25.5%
2011	154,300	+2.9%
2014	152,276	−1.3%
2015	153,800	+1.0%
2020	177,400	+15.3%
source:[1][16][17]

Education

This is an all metal made peace monument established in 2009 by the Dutch Embassy at the Gulu District Local Government headquarters, it depicts two children (a female and male) reading a book on top of 20 piles of books, monument was established in honor of the end of the 20 years war of the Lord's Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony

Gulu is the home of Gulu University, which has a wide range of programs including agriculture, medicine, business management, and conflict resolution. It is one of the three public universities in the Northern Region, the others being Muni University in Arua and Lira University in Lira. Gulu University is the parent institution of the Gulu University School of Medicine, one of the nine accredited medical schools in Uganda as of February 2015. The Uganda Management Institute, a government-owned tertiary teaching and research institution in management and administration, has a campus in Gulu.^[18] Gulu also hosts University of the Sacred Heart Gulu, a private university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu.^[19]

Health

There are three hospitals in the city: St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, the Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, and Gulu Independent Hospital.

There is also a center for non-medical integrative therapies, Thrive-Gulu, founded by Boston-based professor Judy Dushku and her husband Jim Coleman, and part-funded by Eliza Dushku. It has received funding support from Irish aid agency Trocaire and a Scandinavian foreign aid provider.^[20]

Transport

Air

The city is served 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.^[21]

Rail

Gulu has a station on the metre gauge railway that connects Tororo and Pakwach, which had been out of service since 1993. Rift Valley Railways funded the clearing of vegetation and the repair of infrastructure, thus allowing the first commercial train for 20 years to run through Gulu on 14 September 2013.^[22]

Sport

The home venue for Gulu United FC is Pece War Memorial Stadium, which has a capacity of 3,000 people.^[23] The stadium was built by the British in 1959, with long-delayed renovations starting in April 2017.^[24]

Places of worship

Predominant among the places of worship are Christian facilities for communities including the: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu (Catholic Church), Eastern Orthodox Diocese of Gulu (Patriarchate of Alexandria), Church of Uganda (Anglican Communion), Presbyterian Church in Uganda (World Communion of Reformed Churches), Baptist Union of Uganda (Baptist World Alliance), Watoto Church, Assemblies of God,^[25] and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.^[26] There are also Muslim mosques.

Water and sanitation

With loans obtained from the World Bank and KfW, the government of Uganda in 2020, completed Phase I of the Gulu Water Supply and Sanitation Project. The project required USh82.3 billion (US$22+ million) to be implemented. With the improvements, Gulu City has storage capacity of 42,000,000 cubic metres (1.1×10¹⁰ US gal) of potable water. In addition, at least 42 public toilets have been built, capable of accommodating 250 people simultaneously. A new sewage sludge treatment plant in Cubu has been constructed.^[27]

Phase II of the project involves establishment of a drinking water intake plant, upstream of Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station, with pumping capacity of 10,000 cubic metres (2,600,000 US gal) daily. This new potable water source will supply 341,000 people in Gulu and neighboring communities. It also includes the expansion of safe sanitation services to 170,000 new customers. KfW and the CDC Group are expected to fund the second stage, starting in June 2021.^[27]

Notable people

• Okot p'Bitek, poet^[28]
• Taban Lo Liyong, poet and writer
• Otema Alimadi, former premier of Uganda
• Lumix Da Don, musical artist
• Judith Heard, fashion model
• Catherine Kyobutungi, born here in 1972^[29]
• Pen-Mogi Nyeko, veterinarian, academic and statesman. Former Vice Chancellor of Gulu University 2002–2018.
• Betty Aol Ocan, Politician, Former Leader of Opposition in the 10th Parliament of Uganda.
• Norbert Mao, President Democratic Party, Former Member of Parliament Gulu Municipality, Former LC5 Gulu District, The Current Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the Museveni's NRM Government.
• Ojara Martin Mapenduzi, Ugandan journalist, politician and member of the Parliament representing Gulu West (Bardege-Layibi Division).

See also

• Railway stations in Uganda
• Acholi sub-region
• List of cities and towns in Uganda.

Languages spoken by people of gulu district.

1. Acholi.
2. Alur.
3. Lango.
4. Swahili.
5. English.
6. Luganda.

Schools in gulu district

nursery schools

1. Annabel Nursery School
2. Bestow Nursery School
3. Bishop Angelo Negri Nursery School
4. Bright Valley Nursery School
5. Chalton Nursery School
6. Christ The Center Nursery School
7. Cornerstone Nursery School
8. Credo Kindergarten
9. Disciples Nursery School
10. Ebenezer Modern Nursery School
11. El-shaddai Nursery School
12. Favour Of God Nursery School
13. Froebel Nursery School Gulu
14. God's Glory Nursery School
15. Goodhope Nursery School
16. Gulu Baptist Nursery School
17. Gulu Central Nursery School
18. Gulu Vision Nursery School
19. Holy Rosary Kindergarten
20. Hope Academy Nursery School
21. J $ S Nursery School
22. Jesus Is The King Of Kings
23. Jesus Is The Truth Nursery School
24. Layibi Green Nursery School
25. Light Ray Nursery School
26. Mama Elisabeth Nursery School
27. Mamiyo Outreach Preparatory School
28. Mary Queen Of Peace Nursery School
29. Mmanuel Junior School
30. Moonlight Junior Academy
31. Mother Angioletta Kindergarten
32. Mother Fatima Nursery School
33. Mother Lydia Nursery School
34. Mother Martina Nursery School
35. Mother Paulina Nursery School
36. Motherland Nursery School
37. Olive Good Shepherd Nursery School
38. Our Lady Of Good Counsel
39. Police Nursery School
40. Queen Of Martyrs Nursery School
41. School Road Nursery School
42. Seek And Find Nursery School
43. Shalom Christian School-Palaro
44. Sos Helmut Kutin Kindergarten Nursery School
45. Joseph Nursery School
46. Josephine Bakhita Nursery School
47. Jude's Nursery School
48. Mary Junior School
49. Mauritz Nursery School
50. Michael Daycare Centre & Nursery School
51. Top Care Nursery School
52. Unifat Nursery School
53. Victory Nursery School
54. Wapwoyo Nursery School

Primary schools

1. Abaka P.7 School
2. Airfield Primary School
3. Ajulu Primary School
4. Akonyibedo P.7 School
5. Akwii Community School
6. Aleda Primary School
7. Angaya P.7 School
8. Annabel's Public School
9. Aswa Camp Primary School
10. Awach Central P.7 Primary School
11. Awach P.7 School
12. Awach Public School
13. Awoo Nyim Primary School
14. Bright Valley Primary School
15. Bulkur Primary School
16. Bungatira Central P.7
17. Bungatira P.7 School
18. Burcoro Primary School
19. Cet-kana Primary School
20. Charlton Primary School
21. Christ Church Primary School
22. Christ The Center Ministries Primary School
23. Christ The King Dem P.7 School
24. Coopil Primary School
25. Corner Stone Primary School
26. Credo Primary School
27. Cubu Primary School
28. Cwero Primary School
29. Denis Primary School
30. Disciples Primary School
31. Ebenezer Modern Primary School
32. El-shaddai Mixed Day Primary School
33. Emmanuel Primary School – Laroo
34. Favour Of God Primary School
35. Froebel Primary School
36. God's Glory Primary School
37. Goodhope Primary School
38. Gulu Baptist Primary School
39. Gulu Police Primary School
40. Gulu Primary School
41. Gulu Prison Primary School
42. Gulu Ptc Demo. School
43. Gulu Public School
44. Gulu Town School
45. Gulu Vision Primary School
46. Gwengdiya Primary School
47. Hermann Gmeiner Primary School
48. Highland P.7 School
49. Holy Rosary P.7 School
50. J & S Primary School
51. Jesus Is The Truth Primary School
52. Kalamaji P.7 School
53. Kasubi Central Primary School
54. Kasubi P.7 School
55. Kiju Hill P.7 School
56. Kirombe Primary School
57. Kiteny Owala Primary School
58. Kitinotima Primary School
59. Kulu Keno Primary School
60. Kulu-opal Primary School
61. Labourline Primary School
62. Laliya Primary School
63. Laminto Primary School
64. Lapuda Primary School
65. Laroo P.7 School
66. Latwong Primary School
67. Layibi Central P.7 School
68. Layibi Green Primary School
69. Layibi Primary School
70. Layibitecho Primary School
71. Light Ray Primary School
72. Lukodi Primary School
73. Lukome Primary School
74. Mama Cave P.7 School
75. Mama Elizabeth Primary School
76. Mary Immaculate P.7 School
77. Mary Queen Of Peace Mixed Primary School
78. Mmanuel Junior School
79. Moon Light Junior Academy
80. Mother Angioletta Primary School
81. Mother Ludia Primary School
82. Mother Martina Primary School
83. Mother Paulina Primary School
84. Mother Teresa Primary School
85. Motherland Primary School
86. Mt. Olive Good Shepherd
87. Negri P.7 School
88. Obiya P.7 School
89. Obiya West Primary School
90. Ocer Campion Jesuit College
91. Ocetaka Community School
92. Ogul Primary School
93. Oguru P.7 School
94. Olel P.7 School
95. Omel Boke P.7 School
96. Omorti Hill Primary School
97. Onekjii Primary School
98. Our Lady Of Good Counsel Primary School
99. Oywak Primary School
100. Pageya Peace Omel Apem Primary School
101. Pageya Primary School
102. Pagik Primary School
103. Paibona Primary School
104. Paicho P.7 School
105. Pakwelo Primary School
106. Palaro P.7 School
107. Paminano Primary School
108. Panykworo Primary School
109. Patiko Prison Primary School
110. Pawel Angany P.7 School
111. Pawel Ayiga Primary School
112. Pece P.7 School
113. Pece Pawel Primary School
114. Pena Ebenezer Primary School
115. Pok-ogali Primary School
116. Rwot Obilo P.7 School
117. School Road Primary School
118. Shalom Christian School
119. Shalom Christian School Agung
120. Shalom Christian School Palaro
121. St. Joseph P.7 School
122. St. Josephine Bakhita Primary School
123. St. Jude Primary School
124. St. Kizito Primary School – Aywee
125. St. Martin Primary School
126. St. Mary's Junior School
127. St. Michael Primary School
128. St. Peters Laroo Primary School
129. Starlight Junior School
130. Te-ladwong Primary School
131. Tegot P.7 School
132. Unifat P.7 School
133. Unyama P.7 School
134. Victory Primary School
135. Vienna Junior D&b School
136. Wapwoyo Primary School
137. Wii-aworanga Primary School
138. Wilul P.7 Primary School

Secondary schools

1. Alliance High School
2. Awach Secondary School
3. Bishop Angelo Negri College
4. Charity College
5. Creamland High School
6. Graceland Girls Secondary School
7. Gulu Army Secondary School
8. Gulu Central High School
9. Gulu College
10. Gulu Crested Crane Secondary School
11. Gulu High Secondary School
12. Gulu Parentscomprehensive College
13. Gulu Secondary School
14. Heligoland High School
15. Laroo Seed Secondary School
16. Lukome Secondary School
17. Nile Progressive Secondary School
18. Northern City High School
19. Northland High School
20. Ocer Campion Jesuit College
21. Paicho Secondary School, Gulu
22. Palaro Secondary School
23. Patiko Secondary School
24. Pece Secondary School
25. Pope Francis College
26. Pope John Paul II College
27. Sacred Heart Secondary School
28. Sir Samuel Baker School
29. St. Joseph's College Layibi
30. Trinity College, Gulu
31. PP Newton Secondary School

References

1. Uganda Bureau of Statistics (27 August 2014). "The Population of The Regions of the Republic of Uganda And All Cities And Towns of More Than 15,000 Inhabitants". Citypopulation.de Quoting Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
2. Ampurire, Paul (22 May 2019). "Cabinet Approves Phased Creation Of Nine New Cities Beginning 2020". Kampala: SoftPower Uganda. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
3. Uganda Radio Network (21 May 2019). "Cabinet approves creation of nine cities". Daily Monitor Quoting Uganda Radio Network. Kampala. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
4. "Location of Gulu Municipality At Google Maps" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
5. "Road Distance Between Kampala And Gulu" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
6. Dolan, Chris (2009). Social Torture: The Case of Northern Uganda 1986-2006. p. 42.
7. Britannica, Gulu, britannica.com, USA, accessed on June 30, 2019
8. Doom, Ruddy and Koen Vlassenroot. "Kony's Message: A New Koine? The Lord's Resistance Army in Northern Uganda", African Affairs 1999:98(390), p.24.
9. Mao, Norbert (6 April 2009). "Gulu Will Make Bagool Gape With Awe And Wonder". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
10. Moro, Justin (5 April 2009). "Gulu Closes IDP Camps". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
11. Russo, Roberta (11 September 2007). "Uganda's IDP Camps Start To Close As Peace Takes Hold". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Retrieved 21 February 2015.
12. Nielsen, Kai (6 January 2012). "UNHCR Closes Chapter On Uganda's Internally Displaced People". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Retrieved 21 February 2015.
13. Klein, Alice (24 January 2012). "Northern Uganda's Displaced People Are Left To Fend for Themselves". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 21 February 2015.
14. "Climate: Gulu - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
15. "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
16. "Estimated Population of Gulu Town In 2002, 2010 & 2011" (PDF). Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Kampala, Uganda. June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
17. Citypopulation.de (14 June 2020). "Projected Population of Gulu City Divisions In 2020" (Citypopulation.de Quoting Uganda Bureau of Statistics). Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
18. UMI (2014). "About the Gulu Campus of Uganda Management Institute". Uganda Management Institute (UMI). Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
19. Jackson Kitara (16 November 2016). "University of Sacred Heart Gulu to open next year with two bachelor degree programs". Gulu: Kitara Jackson Wordpress. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
20. "Thrive-Gulu, Inc". Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
21. Alex Otto, and James Owich (13 January 2014). "UGX 120 Billion Needed to Upgrade Gulu Airport". Kampala: Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
22. RGI (9 October 2013). "Uganda's Northern Line Revived". Railway Gazette International (RGI). Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
23. UKSW (February 2014). "Match Schedule for Gulu United FC". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
24. Ojara, Emmy Daniel (22 April 2017). "Pece Stadium Renovation Finally Starts". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
25. J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 2920
26. "A new District in Gulu". President Collings, LDS Missionary. 22 June 2019.
27. Jean Marie Takouleu (28 October 2020). "Uganda: Government inaugurates water and sanitation project in Gulu". Paris, France. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
28. "Biografski dodaci" [Biographic appendices]. Republika: Časopis za kulturu i društvena pitanja (Izbor iz novije afričke književnosti) (in Serbo-Croatian). XXXIV (12). Zagreb, SR Croatia: 1424–1427. December 1978.
29. heidelberg.de/volltextserver/6262/1/Catherine_Kyobutungi, Catherine. "Mortality from cancers and external causes of death among Aussiedler in Germany 1990-2002 – an epidemiological cohort study" (PDF). University of Heidelberg. Retrieved 11 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

• New Cities Raise Great Expectations In Investments, Revenue As of 23 May 2019.
• Gulu Methodist Partnership Incorporated As of 3 February 2017.